


only for the weekend

by project_ecto



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Fake/Pretend Relationship, Fluff, Getting Together, M/M, Strangers to Lovers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-02
Updated: 2019-06-25
Packaged: 2020-04-06 16:03:37
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 33,958
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19065961
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/project_ecto/pseuds/project_ecto
Summary: RENT-A-BAE FOR THE NEW YEAR’SSingle and tired of your family and relatives asking when you’re gonna get a boyfriend? Shut them up with your very own fake bf – Iwaizumi Hajime (20 years old, 179cm, great arms)! New year’s packages available!Platinum- stay all night- matching outfits- small talk- some physical display of affection- cute story about how you met- help with dishes after dinner- details about post-graduation plans- a kissCALL 03-0401-1020 FOR A QUOTE!Complete with a cropped picture of himself stuck on the right side of the godforsaken flyer, typed out in fucking Comic Sans, Iwaizumi was dangerously close to socking whoever thought it was funny to advertise him as a rentable boyfriend.or, what was a harmless prank somehow lands Iwaizumi with a fake boyfriend for the new year’s.





	1. a harmless prank

**Author's Note:**

> eyyyy, I'm back with another iwaoi fic. Fake dating is one of my favourite tropes so naturally, this came along. and yes, it is based on that twitter meme. Hope you guys enjoy!

_**RENT-A-BAE FOR THE NEW YEAR’S**  
_ _Single and tired of your family and relatives asking when you’re gonna get a boyfriend? Shut them up with your very own fake bf – Iwaizumi Hajime (20 years old, 179cm, great arms)! New year’s packages available!_   


**_Silver_**  
_\- 2 hours at dinner_  
_\- matching outfits  
_ _\- small talk_

 ** _Gold_**  
_\- All of the above +_  
_\- 3 hours at dinner_  
_\- some physical display of affection  
_ _\- cute story about how you met_

 ** _Platinum_**  
_\- All of the above +_  
_\- stay all night_  
_\- help with dishes after dinner_  
_\- details about post-graduation plans  
_ _\- a kiss_

 _CALL **03-0401-1020** FOR A QUOTE!  
_ _#lovewins #poweredbythememeteam_

Complete with a cropped picture of himself stuck on the right side of the godforsaken flyer, typed out in fucking _Comic Sans_ , Iwaizumi was dangerously close to socking someone. Specifically Matsukawa and Hanamaki, who he was considering to strip off their title as “friend” because what kind of friends advertised their buddy as part of a fake boyfriend package for the new year’s? (Those who thought it’d be hilarious to make fun at how “boyfriend-material” he is and spice up his non-existent love life, that’s who.) At least they didn’t use an unflattering picture of him. On second thought, Iwaizumi’s not sure if that works in his favour or not.

He was going to throttle the both of them.

For now, he works furiously to rip them of the bulletin board so that hopefully, no one else in his university will see it.

* * *

“Yes mum, I’m coming back for new year’s,” Oikawa Tooru (20 years old, 184cm, perfect hair) says into his phone, like he’s ever skipped out on visiting his family during the holidays.

 _“With a special someone I hope,”_ his mother says deviously.

Oikawa rolls his eyes. He can already imagine that hopeful smile on her face. She’s been harping on the issue of him getting a partner and being in a committed long-term relationship ever since he entered university.

He’s dated in high school before but his mother mostly let him be, knowing how frivolous high school romances could be. But after becoming a university student, she’s been checking in on his relationship status, to the point Oikawa can tell she’s a little concerned over why her son was not finding someone. After all, he’s handsome, smart, and charismatic.

It’s not like Oikawa couldn’t get a boyfriend or didn’t want one, he just…hasn’t met someone suitable yet. His past relationships were short-lived. They ended before things could get serious and before he could introduce them to his family. Besides, what’s the rush?

“Mum…” Oikawa sighs, adjusting the strap of his bag as he makes his way out of his faculty.

 _“I know, I know,”_ she admits over the phone. _“You think you shouldn’t force these things to happen, but you can’t expect me not to care!”_

“You’re caring a little too much,” he replies tiredly, not wanting another conversation with his mother to become a nagging session.

He’s spent a year of his university life going through that. To top it off, it’s half the things she talks about when he returns for the holidays and that means his sister will join in as well. Just thinking about how the cycle will repeat itself this coming new year is enough to drain the energy from his soul. He loves his mum, but her plaguing him about this perennial issue was getting tiresome. He simply wants a peaceful dinner without his family getting on his back about this. Just one holiday without having to explain the same reason he isn’t attached and feeling pressured to do something he had no interest in rushing into.

 _“And for good reason!”_ she insists. _“You’re young and you’re attractive, and I’m not saying that because I’m your mother. There must be a line of potential partners for you.”_

Oikawa puts his phone away from his ear. He recognises this pattern of speech before. He can almost predict what she’s going to say next. He lets her ramble, paying more attention to his surroundings than her voice.

 _“I know you think you have time now,”_ she continues obliviously. _“But soon you’re going to wonder where all that time went. Go out! Meet new people! Join clubs! Go to the bar even! Love comes about in the most unexpected places right?”_

Oikawa really wants to hang up now.

_“Tooru, I just want you to have someone.”_

“I’m telling you mum,” he says, deciding to end the conversation there and then. But a fluttering piece of paper tacked carelessly to his faculty’s bulletin board catches his eye, though not more than the title itself. There’s a picture with it and as he reads the contents, an idea, absurd and reckless as it is, seeds in his mind.

_“Tooru?”_

Perhaps “rent-a-bae” is his ticket out of this predicament. At least for a while.

“I have found someone,” Oikawa says without further thought.

 _“What—well, why didn’t you say so earlier!”_ Oikawa’s mother practically shrills into the phone. _“Who is he?! You have to bring him home for the new year!”_

“Sure mum,” he answers offhandedly, studying the flyer with interest. “I will.”

He’d seen some weird requests and offers pinned to the school’s bulletin board before, but nothing so outrageously bold and amusing. It was also too timely and too apt to ignore. It’s the perfect solution to his problem. Besides, that’s not a bad-looking guy at all.

 _“Great! I’ll see you and your_ friend _this weekend!”_ she exclaims, enunciating the word “friend”.

After he hangs up, Oikawa tugs the flyer off the board.

Now, all he has to do is call one Iwaizumi Hajime to seal the deal.

* * *

“Hello?” Iwaizumi picks up his call without bothering to look at his phone, his other hand gripping a torn down flyer with vengeance. The Faculty of Science is the fifth school where he tore those damn flyers off the notice boards.

After much threatening and swearing, Matsukawa and Hanamaki told him (while still laughing, those assholes) that this was the last school and that they put up two in the faculty. He got rid of one and is hunting for the last piece.

 _“Iwaizumi Hajime?”_ the voice on the line asks.

“Yeah, that’s me. Who is this?”

 _“Hi. I’m Oikawa Tooru,”_ the person introduces. _“I saw your flyer…”_

Oh god. A foreboding feeling settles in his chest.

“Sorry,” Iwaizumi says quickly. “That’s—that was a prank my friends played on me.”

 _“Oh,”_ the person says, part surprised, part disappointed. Iwaizumi wants to end the call with a lame _“yeah…”_ but the guy on the other line cuts in, _“So you’re not really doing the fake boyfriend thing?”_

“No,” he replies bluntly, intending to dispel any notions the mysterious caller might have.

Instead, he floors him with a hopeful, _“You still can though?”_

“What?” Iwaizumi has to ask to be sure he hasn’t misheard that.

 _“Can you still do it?”_ the stranger repeats, his voice growing more personal, much to Iwaizumi’s chagrin. He seriously doesn’t want to entertain this. _“I kinda really need someone to be my fake boyfriend.”_

“What no,” he spits out, eyebrows scrunching together, bewildered at the bizarreness of this situation and stunned at how serious the guy actually sounds. “Don’t you get it? It’s a joke.”

_“Yeah but since you’ve already put up flyers—”_

“My idiot friends put those damn flyers up as a prank!” Iwaizumi insists. He’d received a few messages from his friends teasing him about it when they saw his face plastered on the board, but he never expected anyone to actually call for a quote. Was this guy for real?

 _“Yes, I heard you the first time,”_ he says and has the audacity to sound sarcastic. _“I’m saying maybe we could work out a deal.”_

Iwaizumi pulls his phone away from his ear to stare at it flabbergasted, as if it could convey to the crazy person on the line how ridiculous this whole conversation is.

“Are you out of your mind?”

 _“Come on,_ it’s only for _—_ ” he starts to say, and the voice suddenly sounds too near and too clear for Iwaizumi’s comfort. He doesn’t have any time to react when he looks ahead and catches someone standing stock-still at the corner of the walkway, phone raised to his ear and staring right back at him with large brown eyes, Iwaizumi’s unmistakable face printed in the creases of that cursed flyer in his hand.

In that moment, Iwaizumi wants to kick himself for thinking how the mysterious caller, now not so mysterious anymore, is goddamn attractive.

The awkward silence breaks when Oikawa blurts out, “Are you Iwaizumi Hajime?”

“No,” he answers on instinct.

“But you’re literally the guy in the pic.”

“No I’m not,” Iwaizumi denies again, striding over to snatch the flyer from his hand and oh, he’s _tall_.

“Hey!” Oikawa protests, stealing it back and holding it away from Iwaizumi’s reach. “I just want to talk!”

“There’s nothing to talk about,” Iwaizumi snaps, attempting to retrieve and destroy the evidence but Oikawa deftly keeps it away from his clutches.

“Listen!” Oikawa asserts, stuffing the flyer into the inside pocket of his jacket, preventing Iwaizumi from seizing it again. “I’m going back to my parents’ place for the new year’s and my mum has been nagging at me non-stop about bringing a _special someone_ home.”

“I don’t care,” Iwaizumi says brusquely, turning on his heel to physically exit this conversation. But Oikawa follows. After. Him.

“I saw your flyer and thought it’s the perfect way to get her to stop pestering me about it,” he continues, effortlessly keeping up with Iwaizumi’s fast pace.

“Well you thought wrong,” he retorts.

“No, if she sees that I have a boyfriend—doesn’t matter if it’s a fake one—she’ll be relieved and leave me alone,” Oikawa rationalizes.

Iwaizumi flat-out ignores him, still having a problem wrapping his mind around the fact that someone—someone as good-looking as this guy—would need a fake boyfriend and is so adamant about doing this.

“Please, you have to help me,” Oikawa pleads.

“And why is that?” Iwaizumi demands, unable to ignore the imploring tone in his voice.

“Because I already told my mum that I’m bringing you home for the new year’s.”

“What the hell?”

“And because if you don’t, I will text you and call you every hour until you agree,” he adds boldly, and for the cherry on top, “And I will follow you.”

Iwaizumi looks at him properly, never mind his perfectly curled hair and handsome features, and says with every fibre of his being already convinced, “You’re crazy.”

Oikawa shrugs one shoulder. “Desperate times. Look, I don’t expect you to do it for free. I’ll pay you back.”

“I don’t need your money.”

“That’s fine, tell me your terms,” Oikawa says, following him out of the Faculty of Science building. “If they’re within my means, I’ll do it. I won’t do it for dick though.”

“The fuck, no one’s asking for that!” Iwaizumi shouts, ears heating up at such a brazen statement.

“Sheesh okay,” Oikawa says, unfazed. “But I’m serious. I need someone to be my pretend-boyfriend, just to get my mum off my back about finding a partner and settling down and all that annoying stuff. I know this would a temporary solution, but she has been on this topic since my first year and I need her stop and give me my space.”

When Iwaizumi doesn’t answer him, eyes trained forward with an unreadable expression on his face, Oikawa makes one last-ditch effort to secure a fake-boyfriend.

“It’s only for the weekend,” he says.

Oikawa startles when Iwaizumi stops in his track abruptly to pin him with an apprehensive glare.

“Just the weekend?”

“Saturday and Sunday!” he confirms, the hopefulness creeping into his voice.

It takes a while for Iwaizumi to weigh the pros and cons, decide that there’s nothing to lose and convince himself it’s only two days. In the back of his mind, he knows he’ll probably regret doing something as crazy as this but Iwaizumi’s a rip-off-the-bandaid kind of guy. So the faster he gets this over and done with, without some crazy dude texting, calling and following him, the better.

He already finds himself regretting when he says, “Fine.”

“Really?” Oikawa exclaims, eyes sparkling. “I mean—thank you! You’re a life-saver! I promise, I’ll make this as painless as possible.”

“I doubt it…” Iwaizumi mutters.

“I’ll text you! So you know, we can get our story straight. I have to go now,” Oikawa tells him, walking backwards and looking like he needs to rush off somewhere all of a sudden. “But think about what you want yeah? A deal’s a deal!”

Oikawa’s gone off before Iwaizumi can get another word in. He’s left standing outside the Faculty of Science, wondering how a harmless prank landed him with a fake boyfriend for the new year’s.

* * *

Iwaizumi was hoping the guy (he forgot his name) wouldn’t contact him. Maybe for some reason he didn’t need a pretend-boyfriend anymore. Maybe he got himself a real boyfriend.

But no such luck. That very night, his phone buzzes with several LINE messages from an unknown number, and he knows his chances of escaping this are slim to none.

 **_03-2010-1641:_ ** _hey, oikawa here!  
_**_03-2010-1641:_ ** _iwaizumi right? i'm assuming this is the correct no. since u were so desperate to get the flyer back_

Iwaizumi actually has half a mind to pretend Oikawa’s got the wrong number. He elects to ignore the messages for now, just to see what else Oikawa can say.

 **_03-2010-1641:_ ** _in the unlikely case this is the wrong no. i can find u on facebook and track u down. there shouldn’t be too many iwaizumi hajimes in waseda_

Reading the message from his notification screen, Iwaizumi wrinkles his nose. What the hell is he trying to pull? Not seconds after, another message slides into his screen, this time with a screenshot. Against his better judgment, he taps on it to find a screenshot of his Facebook profile, complete with his full name, school, major and of course, a picture that matches the person on the flyer.

 **_03-2010-1641:_ ** _iwaizumi hajime from the sch of sports science and mgmt. interesting.  
_**_You:_ ** _you’re so creepy.  
_**_03-2010-1641:_ ** _and u finally replied!  
_**_You:_ ** _what do you want.  
_**_03-2010-1641:_ ** _to iron out our story!! if we’re gonna be fake boyf, we need to have a fake story and also know some things about each other  
_**_03-2010-1641:_ ** _i'll start!  
_**_03-2010-1641:_ ** _i'm oikawa tooru, age 20, birthdate 20 jul, blood type B  
_**_03-2010-1641:_ ** _i'm in my 2_ nd year, majoring in astronomy. i'm born and bred in tokyo but i live away from my parents in a sharehome arrangement with other waseda students. wbu?

He’s studying dammit, he doesn’t have time to entertain Oikawa’s texts. Maybe he can leave this for tomorrow…

 **_03-2010-1641:_ ** _u know i can see u’ve read my messages right_

Screw these “read” indications. Iwaizumi sighs, picks up his phone and begrudgingly starts to type.

 **_You:_ ** _i'm in my 2 nd year too, age 20, majoring in sports science and specialising in sports injuries  
_**_You:_ ** _born in miyagi and moved here after high school. staying with 2 roommates somewhere off campus  
_**_03-2010-1641:_ ** _nice to meet u!!  
_**_03-2010-1641:_ ** _oh, i should tell u about my family too since uknow, i hired u to meet them  
_**_03-2010-1641:_ ** _anyway! i have a mum and dad of course, and an older sis. she's waaay older than me, like 15 years older? so i have a 10 yr old nephew too. we're still pretty close despite the age gap  
_**_03-2010-1641:_ ** _u?  
_**_You:_ ** _i'm an only child_

When that’s all he offers, Oikawa follows up with another message after a couple of minutes.

 **_03-2010-1641:_ ** _that’s it?  
_**_You:_ ** _what else is there? it's just my mum, dad and me. they still live and work in miyagi if that’s what you want to know  
_**_03-2010-1641:_ ** _nvm…we should come up with our fake love story!  
_**_03-2010-1641:_ ** _like how we met, when we started going out etc.  
_**_03-2010-1641:_ ** _u probably don’t care so i’ll just make things up myself. lemme know if u have any violent objections  
_**_03-2010-1641:_ ** _so about how we met…i left my textbook in the lecture hall which u happen to use for your class. u found it, kept it for me and returned it to me when I came looking for it  
_**_You:_ ** _that’s so cheesy  
_**_03-2010-1641:_ ** _u want to come up with another story then?  
_**_You:_ ** _No.  
_**_03-2010-1641:_ ** _that’s what I thought  
_**_You:_ ** _you’re so shitty.  
_**_03-2010-1641:_ ** _technically, u’re supposed to be doing all the work since I was the one who bought yr package but given our circumstances, i’m willing to do it  
_**_03-2010-1641:_ ** _so u should be grateful!  
_**_03-2010-1641:_ ** _as I was saying, we started going out 2 months ago  
_**_03-2010-1641:_ ** _u were the one who asked me out  
_**_You:_ ** _really?  
_**_03-2010-1641:_ ** _u couldn’t resist my charm!  
_**_You:_ ** _what charm I wonder…  
_**_03-2010-1641:_ ** _if anyone asks what we like about each other, u like my dorkiness and i like yr reliability  
_**_03-2010-1641:_ ** _idk, u just strike me as a reliable kinda guy. sounds about right?  
_**_You:_ ** _fine.  
_**_You:_ ** _will your family really ask us that?  
_**_03-2010-1641:_ ** _it’s just in case! and my sister likes to tease sometimes lol  
_**_03-2010-1641:_ ** _anywho, that’s all i can think of for now. we can continue finding out more about each other until the weekend  
_**_03-2010-1641:_ ** _i’ll text u again!  
_**_03-2010-1641:_ ** _or u can text me too  
_**_03-2010-1641:_** _;)_

Despite the conversation being more one-sided, Iwaizumi feels a little drained and finds his motivation to study fading. He’s never been a good liar so this whole arrangement has him feeling apprehensive. On one hand, he wishes he didn’t have to do this, but on the other, he already agreed to it, albeit reluctantly. But Iwaizumi was not someone who went back on his words, so he resigns to going through a weekend of acting as some stranger’s boyfriend.

Rubbing his eyes and retiring for the night, Iwaizumi leaves Oikawa on “read”.

The next day, Oikawa—true to his word—texts Iwaizumi again, this time while the latter is in the middle of attending a lecture.

 **_03-2010-1641:_ ** _hey iwa-chan!  
_**_You:_ ** _what. don't call me that.  
_**_03-2010-1641:_ ** _but it’s normal for couples to have pet names for each other!  
_**_You:_ ** _we’re not a real couple  
_**_03-2010-1641:_ ** _even if we’re a fake one, we still have to act like one  
_**_03-2010-1641:_ ** _besides, i think iwa-chan sounds cute  
_**_03-2010-1641:_ ** _u can give me a nickname too!  
_**_You:_ ** _no thanks  
_**_03-2010-1641:_ ** _anyway, we should play a game  
_**_You:_ ** _i'm in class  
_**_03-2010-1641:_ ** _u don’t have to reply right away  
_**_03-2010-1641:_ ** _it’s a game of favourites. i ask u what’s yr favourite thing of a certain topic and u answer  
_**_03-2010-1641:_ ** _favourite food?_

The lecture’s boring, so Iwaizumi indulges. Oikawa’s questions are pretty straightforward, so it doesn’t take him much to reply.

 **_You:_ ** _agedashi tofu  
_**_03-2010-1641:_ ** _favourite movie?  
_**_You:_ ** _godzilla  
_**_03-2010-1641:_ ** _i'm assuming the earlier versions?  
_**_You:_ ** _i like anything during the heisei and millennium periods the most  
_**_03-2010-1641:_ ** _favourite colour?  
_**_You:_ ** _blue i guess  
_**_03-2010-1641:_ ** _favourite animal?  
_**_You:_ ** _dogs are nice  
_**_03-2010-1641:_ ** _season?  
_**_You:_ ** _ahh….autumn  
_**_03-2010-1641:_ ** _band?  
_**_You:_ ** _i don’t have a favourite band, but i do like rock music  
_**_03-2010-1641:_ ** _sport?  
_**_You:_ ** _i do a lot of hiking now  
_**_03-2010-1641:_ ** _ah, i would have pegged u as the sporty type  
_**_03-2010-1641:_ ** _let’s dig a little deeper shall we?  
_**_03-2010-1641:_ ** _favourite childhood place?  
_**_You:_ ** _the woods near my house back in sendai  
_**_03-2010-1641:_ ** _favourite thing about school?  
_**_You:_ ** _that it meant you were still a kid  
_**_03-2010-1641:_ ** _ohhh deep  
_**_03-2010-1641:_ ** _favourite type of drink?  
_**_You:_ ** _as in alcohol?  
_**_03-2010-1641:_ ** _yeah  
_**_You:_ ** _sake  
_**_03-2010-1641:_ ** _u’re such an old man!  
_**_You:_ ** _i don’t drink it often, it’s just when i find a good brand or when the occasion calls for it  
_**_03-2010-1641:_ ** _so u can hold yr liquor well?  
_**_You:_ ** _not bad  
_**_03-2010-1641:_ ** _not bad  
_**_03-2010-1641:_ ** _favourite memory?  
_**_You:_ ** _there are a lot of favourites but i suppose one of them was when i went camping during the summer holidays with my high school friends  
_**_You:_ ** _it was after i came out to them and nothing changed  
_**_You:_ ** _i just remember feeling free  
_**_03-2010-1641:_ ** _mm, i know what u mean_

Iwaizumi was waiting for a response but when none comes, he picks up his phone. It’s only fair that Oikawa answers these questions too right? After all, it would take the both of them to make this fake dating thing work.

 **_You:_ ** _what about you?_

It takes a while for the next message to arrive and when Iwaizumi checks his phone, he’s greeted by a rather long text.

 **_03-2010-1641:_ ** _milk bread, interstellar, turquoise, hedgehogs, spring, yonezu kenshi (not a band but a singer), i don’t really do sports nowadays, the roof of this old building i used to go to look at the stars, that yr only worry was homework and exams, when i got my first telescope for my 10 th birthday_

Iwaizumi deems him a space nerd and spends the rest of the lecture learning about how someone can grow to be so passionate about the galaxy rather than pay attention to the technicalities of an inflamed injury. At the end of it, he acts on Oikawa’s suggestion and saves _“Shittykawa”_ into his phone.

Over the days leading up to the meet-the-family session, Oikawa keeps their relationship warm by texting Iwaizumi regularly and Iwaizumi, keeping up his end of the deal, texts back.

 **_You:_ ** _btw, i'm curious, who were the friends who played the prank on u?  
_**_Iwa-chan:_ ** _my roommates…  
_**_You:_ ** _what’s the story?  
_**_Iwa-chan:_ ** _they asked me what plans i had for the new year’s  
_**_Iwa-chan:_ ** _i told them i didn’t have any  
_**_Iwa-chan:_ ** _probably go to work mostly, catch up on a few shows and meet a couple of friends  
_**_Iwa-chan:_ ** _they seemed pretty offended at that  
_**_Iwa-chan:_ ** _and at the fact i didn’t have a partner to spend it with  
_**_Iwa-chan:_ ** _so they told me they got “just the thing for me”  
_**_Iwa-chan:_ ** _-_-  
_**_You:_ ** _i would like to meet these friends of yrs  
_**_Iwa-chan:_ ** _no._

 **_Shittykawa:_ ** _so have u thought about what u want?  
_**_You:_ ** _what i want?  
_**_Shittykawa:_ ** _in exchange for doing this  
_**_You:_ ** _oh_

Iwaizumi actually contemplates, putting his phone away to think about what he’s lacking in his life or if there’s anything on his wish list. But by the end of the day, he doesn’t manage to think of anything and also, he forgot to reply.

 **_Shittykawa:_ ** _iwa-chan?  
_**_You:_ ** _i'm still thinking  
_**_Shittykawa:_ ** _oh take yr time!_

Eventually it’s the night before their big act and at this point, Iwaizumi has long stopped dreading it and sees it as just another weekend plan. How hard could it be anyway? He’s had boyfriends before. He knows how to act around their parents.

 **_Shittykawa:_ ** _are we really gonna wear matching outfits?  
_**_You:_ ** _no.  
_**_Shittykawa:_ ** _aw ok  
_**_Shittykawa:_ ** _don’t go mia on me tmr!!_

It’s way past midnight when he finally replies.

 **_You:_ ** _i won’t_

When Iwaizumi arrives at the train station on Saturday evening, Oikawa can’t help the quirk of his eyebrow when he sees him dressed appealingly in a black winter jacket over a grey hoodie, with the hem of a white button-down peeking from under the hoodie, the look completed with jeans and a pair of grey Nike sneakers. He’s only ever seen him once, and at that time he didn’t pay a lot of attention to how he dressed, but he seems to be able to clean up nicely.

“You look—nice,” Oikawa manages as Iwaizumi approaches. He hadn’t particularly spent a lot of time getting dressed, since it’s just his family, but it’s Oikawa, so he looks good even when he threw over a sweater and the comfiest winter jacket he’s got.

“Um thanks,” is the only thing he says to that. They’ve been conversing through text messages so far so it feels weird to finally meet him again. That said, their conversations have been easy-going, perhaps it’s because there isn’t a need to impress the other, that it feels like he’s meeting an old friend. Iwaizumi wrinkles his nose at the thought.

“How was the train ride?”

“It was okay,” he says. Oikawa’s family stayed a little off Tokyo in Yokohama, so it took him over an hour to the station.

“My house is just a short walk from here,” Oikawa tells him as he leads the way to his house. “So you remember our story right, Iwa-chan?”

The nickname rolls off his tongue naturally and Iwaizumi has to remind himself to call him “Tooru”. It’s already strange to think about.

“Yes, like I could forget when you kept going over it.”

“Good, we’ll do it like we agreed then,” Oikawa chirps. “Oh, and if my parents ask us something we didn’t talk about, let me answer and just go with it.”

“Sure,” Iwaizumi agrees. The less he needs to do, the better.

Oikawa’s mother is a 165cm tall vessel of energy and elegance. She reminds him of his elementary school teacher who everyone respected because she was fair and kind. Maybe it’s the hair. She has it tied in a low ponytail, keeping it away from her face, which looked radiant for someone who’s already a grandmother.

“Tooru! Welcome home!” she exclaims when she receives them at the door, rubbing her hands up and down his arms affectionately. She turns her attention to Iwaizumi in the next second, not giving her son the chance to introduce him. There’s a huge grin on her face when she looks at the dark-haired university student. “And you must be Iwaizumi-kun. Hajime-kun right? Can I call you Hajime-kun?”

“Uh sure,” he answers with an awkward smile, trying to regain his bearings after the warm welcome.

“Come on in!” she says, stepping aside the let them inside the house. She seems to forget about her son as she continues talking to Iwaizumi.

“How was the train ride? I hope it wasn’t too tiring.”

“It was fine, thank you,” he replies politely and then holds up a bag to her. “Um, I got you something. Thank you for having me here.”

Oikawa’s mother puts her hand to her chest and if Iwaizumi had been looking at Oikawa himself, he would have known he was equally surprised.

“You shouldn’t have!” she tells him but accepts the gift with a pleased expression.

“It’s not much,” Iwaizumi says. “Oi—Tooru told me you’re a family of tea drinkers so…”

“This is perfect Hajime-kun, you’re so thoughtful,” she says warmly as she peeks into the bag to find a small box of assorted tea from Aoba Johsai Tea Farm. “I’ll put this away for later. Dinner should be ready soon so just make yourself at home. Tooru, show him around won’t you?”

“Sure mum,” he says as she leaves for the kitchen and then promptly shoots Iwaizumi a look. “I didn’t know you were getting a gift!”

“Isn’t it basic etiquette?” he retorts. “And didn’t you see me carrying it on the way here?”

Oikawa narrows his eyes, searching his memory. “…No?”

Iwaizumi resists the urge to roll his eyes. “It’s no big deal. I won’t ask you to pay for it.”

“It’s not that!” he insists but doesn’t get to say it’s because he’s just surprised that he’s putting actual effort into acting like a good boyfriend, because his sister pops her head at the corridor and hollers “Tooru!!!”

Iwaizumi wonders if his whole family is like that.

(It’s not, thankfully, as he finds out over dinner.)

“Dig in!” Oikawa’s mother—Natsumi, he remembers—announces when everyone’s seated at the dinner table.

It’s a big spread, with the space filled with tsukune meatballs, miso-zuke salmon, blanched vegetables garnished with bonito flakes and oh—agedashi tofu.

“Tooru told me agedashi tofu is your favourite dish,” Natsumi tells him delightedly. Iwaizumi glances at Oikawa, who gives him a triumphant look. What a dork.

“Here,” Oikawa’s father says, scooping piece of tofu onto Iwaizum’s bowl, and does the same for Oikawa. “Don’t stand on ceremony.”

“Thank you,” Iwaizumi says gratefully. Even if he wasn’t paid for this, the dinner itself would be a form of compensation. Home-cooked meals are the best, and Natsumi really makes them work for it.

“So…when did you two start dating?” she asks without preamble.

“Mum…” Oikawa says exasperatedly. He expected questions, just not one bite into their meals.

“I’m just curious!”

“I’m curious too,” Oikawa’s sister—Kumi, as she had introduced—pipes up.

“We started going out three months ago,” Oikawa takes the first one, the lie slipping out of his mouth like how they had agreed.

“Ah, young love,” Kumi quips then raises a sharply-trimmed brow cheekily. “So who asked who out? I bet Tooru here did.”

“As a matter of fact, Iwa-chan asked me out,” he boasts and Iwaizumi wonders if there’s any grounds for bragging when it’s all fake.

“Oh really?” Kumi says in mock scepticism. “Good on you.”

“But how did you two meet?” Oikawa’s mother interjects, passing the sauce to her husband. “Are you two in the same faculty?”

Iwaizumi almost chokes on a juicy piece of tofu when Oikawa kicks his ankle under the table. It seems like Oikawa wasn’t about to let Iwaizumi off so easily. If he gets to enjoy such a delightful meal, he’ll have to pull his weight. It’s more believable that way.

“Ah no,” Iwaizumi answers after swallowing. “We met uhh…”

He remembers the story, he’s just too embarrassed to say it out loud. But he can feel Oikawa’s piercing gaze on him so he soldiers on.

“Tooru left his textbook in one of the lecture halls I use for my classes and uhh…when I returned it to him…we started talking and…yeah…”

He’s pretty sure he’s blushing a lovely shade of pink from the mortification.

“How sweet!” Natsumi gushes and Oikawa hides a snicker behind his rice bowl. Iwa-chan has no idea that his embarrassment was likely misconstrued as shyness, making their charade all the more convincing. He’s really struck gold with this one.

Oikawa doesn’t know if Iwaizumi is doing it on purpose but the guy actually _helps out with the dishes_. He hadn’t expected him to act out the things on the flyer but before he knew what he was doing, Iwaizumi had already cleared the plates to the kitchen and offered to help his mum do the dishes. Natsumi shoos Oikawa out of the kitchen, telling him three’s a crowd and when he meets Iwaizumi’s eyes with a bemused expression, Iwaizumi simply mouths _“what?”_ innocently.

He can’t hear what they’re chatting about over the sound of running water and his sister’s _“Takeru, weren’t you going to tell Grandpa about what happened at your club activity?”_

They gather back in the living room and Iwaizumi sets a plate of cut fruits on the coffee table. Oikawa’s mother comes out shortly after to serve everyone the tea that Iwaizumi brought.

“Thank you, Iwaizumi-kun,” Kumi says.

“It’s no problem.”

“Iwaizumi,” Oikawa’s father—Hikaru—calls and Iwaizumi immediately tenses beside Oikawa. Hikaru is more subdued than his wife, though he cracked a few jokes at the dinner table. It’s the kind of humour Iwaizumi can get with, so it’s not so bad. He’s tall, bespectacled and has a rather stern look, which doesn’t quite fit in with his light-hearted attitude. But for some reason, it still makes Iwaizumi snap to attention when he’s being called by his fake-boyfriend’s father.

“Will you be visiting your parents for the new year’s too?” is his harmless question, popping a slice of apple into his mouth.

“Oh, no,” Iwaizumi answers, relaxing. This, he doesn’t have to lie. “They live all the way in Sendai and I already visited them during Christmas so they told me not to make the trip.”

“You’re from Sendai!” Kumi repeats, interested. Iwaizumi likes her. She takes after her mother more, though her energy is not channelled to firing a string of questions but to her outspoken and enthusiastic nature. She carries herself as a fiercely sophisticated woman, with neat short hair and tasteful make-up. She’s also a great conversationalist such that there were no lulls in the conversation (hard to allow since Oikawa and his sister were bickering half the time). “Must be cold so up north.”

Iwaizumi shrugs, “It is, but I’m used to it.”

“Why did you decide to study in Tokyo then?” Oikawa’s father asks and cocks his head to the side. “Speaking of which, what are you studying?”

“I’m in the School of Sports Science and Management. I knew I wanted to study that after high school so I looked at a few schools and thought Waseda was the best choice.”

“There’s a school for sports science?” Oikawa’s nephew, Takeru, asks in fascination. It’s one of the few times Iwaizumi’s heard him talk. Speaking only when he had something witty to add, Iwaizumi thought he was rather mature for his age. He must have taken after his father (who could not make it today due to a business trip) because he was nothing like his mum. Judging from his tone of interest, Iwaizumi can tell he’s the sporty kind.

“Sure. We learn all kinds of stuff about how the body works during exercise,” Iwaizumi says. “I major in sport injuries so I learn about how they come about and how to treat people who have them.”

“Oh,” Natsumi speaks up. “You must have helped Tooru with his then!”

“His…?” Iwaizumi trails off, glancing at Oikawa for a helpline.

“Tooru’s injury,” she adds but it still leaves Iwaizumi clueless. “You know, the one he got when he was in—”

“High school!” Oikawa jumps in hastily. “Yeah, when I was practising kyudo and got too carried away.”

He pretends to massage a sore spot on his shoulder, his tensed gaze willing Iwaizumi to take the hint.

“Right…” he says tentatively, his mind scrambling to make something up on the spot. “Your shoulder injury from high school…I uhh—did teach him a few exercises for that.”

“Yeap!” Oikawa tacks on, plastering on a smile. “Thanks to Iwa-chan, I got something for when my shoulder acts up now.”

“I suppose you do a lot of sports yourself Iwaizumi-kun?” Kumi asks.

“Not so much anymore,” he replies, thankful for the change in topic. He’s not a natural liar, unlike his pretend-partner. “I used to play volleyball—”

“You play volleyball???”

The question comes out twice as loud because both Oikawa and Takeru blurted it. But all eyes turn to Oikawa, who’s more surprised than he should be. Iwaizumi eyes him oddly.

“I used to,” he corrects, regaining their attention. “But I stopped after high school. Didn’t want to go pro.”

“I play volleyball too!” Takeru announces, eyes bright. “What position did you play?”

“Wing spiker,” he states fondly.

“I’m a middle blocker,” Takeru declares proudly.

“The best thing about that position is that your defence also helps you to score a point,” Iwaizumi says. “It feels good when you successfully block a spike huh?”

“Yeah! I love the look on the opponent’s face when that happens,” Takeru grins. “Were you the ace?”

Iwaizumi rubs his neck sheepishly, “Yeah.”

“So cool, will you teach me some techniques next time?” he asks expectantly. Iwaizumi doesn’t have the heart to tell him he won’t ever see him again.

“Um sure.”

“Thanks Iwaizumi-kun,” Kumi smiles, ruffling her son’s short hair. “This rascal here can get a little too excited when it comes to volleyball.”

“What kind of sports do you do now then?” Oikawa’s father chimes in.

“I don’t do as much sports as I exercise,” Iwaizumi shares. “I hike a lot nowadays.”

“Does Tooru go with you?” Natsumi asks.

“No.”

“Of course!”

There’s a moment of silence when everyone stares at the both of them, surprise registering on their faces in the form of curious smiles and raised brows as they wait for an explanation for their contradicting responses.

It’s Iwaizumi who speaks first (so much for taking the lead, Oikawa).

“You don’t like to exercise remember?” he says pointedly, slanting a furtive gaze to his fake boyfriend. He recalls Oikawa being rather unimpressed when he told him he tries to hike once every two weeks and not understanding how people willingly subject themselves to regular strenuous activities when you can stay home and be comfy (he knows exercise is good but at what cost?).

“I went with you that one time remember?” Oikawa corrected stubbornly and Iwaizumi wants to chuck something at his face. Must he insist on being right when he’s obviously wrong? Why does this idiot have to make things more complicated?

Refusing to back down, Iwaizumi tries to mask his sarcasm when he says, “Oh you mean Mount Takao? That was more like a walking trail.”

“You guys quarrel like Miyamoto-sensei and Kurosawa-sensei,” Takeru points out casually and his mother is the only one understands the implication of that as she’s the only one who laughs.

“They’re just two teachers at his school that, according to the kids, have a love-hate relationship,” she explains. “Takeru, why don’t you go unpack your stuff upstairs. I’ll let you use the iPad once you’re done.”

“Wo-kay,” he says obediently and takes his leave.

“By the way Hajime-kun,” Oikawa’s mother says as Takeru pads up the stairs. “You’ll be joining us tomorrow for the shrine visit right?”

“Yeah,” he answers, putting Takeru’s remark to the back of his mind. “Oi—Tooru told me about it.”

Oikawa resists an amused grin at Iwaizumi’s slip-up. They’ve only ever messaged each other, so it’s understandable. Iwaizumi’s said his given name a couple of times during the night, but the astronomy student doesn’t mind if he continues to address him as such. He could stand to sound a little less awkward, but at the very least, it’s much better than “Shittykawa”. Oikawa stops himself from dwelling too much on a relationship’s intimacy when it comes to first names.

“That’s great!” his mother says gleefully, a glint in her eyes that Oikawa recognizes as cheeky enthusiasm. “You could stay over tomorrow you know, if you don’t have any classes the next day.”

“Mum—” he starts to say with slight exasperation and embarrassment but Iwaizumi beats him to it.

“Ah, I don’t have classes,” he tells her easily. “But I have to work.”

Oikawa thinks Iwaizumi doesn’t seem to have problems with this because he doesn’t have to lie. Well, even better.

“Oh, what kind of work?”

“I part-time at the Nippori Rehab Centre.”

Oikawa’s read it in a text message before but he wonders why it _sounds_ familiar.

“That’s admirable,” Natsumi compliments genuinely and Oikawa notices his sister’s look of impress from the corner of his eye.

“No I just help around with easy work,” Iwaizumi is quick to clarify, wiping his palms on his jeans out of habit. “I rarely get to help the patients. It’s already good enough that I get to observe the therapists there.”

“Regardless,” Natsumi begins with a kind smile that turns teasing. “It seems you’re passionate about this field and that’s something to be proud of. I would know, since I’ve never seen anyone more zealous about space than Tooru.”

“With how obsessive he can get about his studies, I’m surprised he can find the time to date,” Kumi quips.

“Hey!” Oikawa protests futilely.

“What’s admirable is how you can balance school, work and dating this space nerd,” she adds. “You go out on dates after work?”

They talked about potential date-scenarios but they never talked about this. The specifics behind their dating habits. But before Oikawa can fabricate something, Iwaizumi speaks.

“Uhh not really,” he starts tentatively. “I work pretty far from where Tooru stays so it’s better if we meet when I’m not working…so he doesn’t have to travel all the way back—and I can knock off pretty late sometimes.”

He realizes he’s babbling so he hastily finishes, “But yeah, we uh—manage.”

Iwaizumi thinks he screwed up somehow, when no one responds. They regard him with varying degrees of pleasant surprise instead, Oikawa included, so he’s not sure anymore.

Eventually, it’s Kumi who asks, question directed at her brother and a thumb jerking in Iwaizumi’s direction, “Tooru, where did you find this guy?”

* * *

“That wasn’t so bad,” Oikawa says when he’s walking Iwaizumi to the train station, pleased with how the evening turned out. The sports science major did stay the whole night, entertaining Oikawa’s mother’s questions and playing Mario Kart on Nintendo Switch after she finally decides to let them have some “couple time”.

“Considering how I did most of the work, I guess,” Iwaizumi agrees with a shrug. Now that the day’s over, he feels the lethargy settle on his shoulders. God, deception is such a chore.

“You held up your own pretty well. You didn’t even need me,” Oikawa says in his defence. “And my family seems to like you.”

“Hooray,” Iwaizumi drawls, unimpressed eyes meeting Oikawa’s too-cheery ones. His goal for today wasn’t to secure Oikawa’s family’s seal of approval. He just wanted to get this over and done with.

“Don’t be like that,” he says, nudging his shoulder lightly. “It means this is a success! And we didn’t even have to lie that much.”

Oikawa rolls his eyes to the side as he adds, “Thankfully. I noticed you’re not very good at lying.”

“Compared to you I suppose?” is his snarky remark.

Oikawa shrugs dismissively, neither confirming nor denying the statement. “But we do make a good pair no? It was what, three days of texting and we managed to pull this off. If we had been friends before this, I’d definitely still ask you to be my rent-a-bae.”

He meant it as a casual compliment but the statement directs Iwaizumi’s mind to something else.

“Maybe that could be our break-up story,” he muses out loud. “’Better as friends’.”

They’re bound to have to cover this aspect of their arrangement eventually right? Iwaizumi’s not going to stick around for Oikawa to call him up out of the blue every time he needs a fake boyfriend to fool his family. He’s got a life to lead. And what if he gets into a _real_ relationship? You never know.

“You think of me as a friend?” Oikawa says cheekily.

“I think of you as a thorn in my side,” Iwaizumi scoffs.

Oikawa lets out an affronted squawk at that. “Maybe _that_ should be our break-up story. ‘Iwa-chan: rudest boyfriend ever’.”

“I’m kidding sheesh,” Iwaizumi rolls his eyes and notices the tiny pout that has made several appearances tonight. Oikawa does that when he’s genuinely peeved but tries to hide it. It’s a slight pull of his lips, mouth twisting to the side and his brown eyes deliberately looking away from his companion. For someone as tall and charismatic as Oikawa, that childish look somehow does not contradict his features. Iwaizumi swats away the first adjective that comes to mind. “You’re so dramatic.”

“You’re just boring,” he banters for the sake of it.

“I’m doing this aren’t I?” Iwaizumi points out. He doesn’t explicitly say what, but Oikawa understands nonetheless.

“Yes yes,” he acquiesces, letting Iwaizumi have this one because he’s actually grateful. They’ve reached the train station already, and Oikawa half-wonders if his everyday walk had always felt this short. He keeps his thoughts to himself, especially the one that admits he doesn’t mind spending another day as pretend-partners. “So I’ll see you tomorrow? Sakuragicho station at 10 yeah.”

“Yeah, see you,” Iwaizumi says, fishing out his PASMO card.

“Liven up!” Oikawa rouses. “It’s only one more day.”

“See you, _dear_ ,” Iwaizumi patronizes, but not without a smirk that Oikawa almost misses.

They part ways at the gantry and Iwaizumi finds a seat for the long ride home. The day had been…bizarre, but not unpleasant. Regardless, deceiving others is not his forte and knowing that he has to do this for another day has him drained. It’s not that he was dreading this any more than he did on the first day. It’s just that he’s bushed after having to put up an act in front of a family of strangers.

But if he was being painfully honest, Oikawa was right; it really wasn’t so bad.


	2. an unexpected trip

The shrine visit is a yearly tradition, where Oikawa’s family visits the Iseyama Kotai shrine to pray for another year of health and happiness. It’s not the usual period when families go shrine-visiting, since school has already started and all, but they do it to avoid the crazy crowds. Iwaizumi meets them at the train station, dressed in a navy blue down jacket thrown over a sweater, jeans and Timberland boots.

They walk to the shrine, Oikawa and Iwaizumi trailing behind the former’s family. The visit is a simple affair; they make their way to the gate, wash their hands at the pavilion and bow before making their prayers.

Iwaizumi’s relieved that Oikawa’s mother doesn’t ask as many questions today and everything would almost be perfect if Oikawa, extra as he is, didn’t insist on holding hands.

“What the hell was that?” Iwaizumi whispers fiercely as Oikawa’s parents head off to check out the omamori on sale.

“I was trying to hold your hand,” Oikawa retorts, although why he’s still whispering when his parents are out of earshot he doesn’t know.

“Yeah, so why did you let go all of a sudden?” Iwaizumi hisses, utterly confused.

“Because they were looking!”

“Isn’t that _the point_?!”

“I don’t know!” he splutters. The original intention was to engage in a little PDA to make it authentic but when he had reached out to grasp Iwaizumi’s hand, his parents turned around to tell them they were going to buy some omamori and it caught Oikawa off guard that he let go immediately. It felt like he’d been caught with his hand in the cookie jar and his first reaction was to—

He sees how it’s weird and suspicious now.

“Oikawa?”

The person in question looks up abruptly, surprise crossing his features when he sees who has called him, quickly forgetting about his and Iwaizumi’s nonsensical exchange.

“Refreshing-kun!” he calls back, inciting a mild-mannered smile from the ash-haired boy who approaches them. He’s not alone, as Oikawa notices. There’s another guy with him, larger-built with short, dark hair. At his side, Iwaizumi moves but Oikawa doesn’t pay enough attention to that.

“Happy new year to you,” the person Oikawa calls ‘Refreshing-kun’ greets good-naturedly.

“Happy new year,” Oikawa says. “What are you doing here?”

Sugawara Koushi doesn’t live in Yokohama. He would know, given that they were middle school friends and are housemates now.

“We’re visiting a few friends,” he answers and glances at his companion with a smile. “I should introduce. This is my boyfriend, Sawamura Daichi. Daichi, this is Oikawa Tooru, my middle school friend and housemate.”

“Ah, so you’re Daichi,” Oikawa says first, shooting Sugawara a knowing look. He’s heard his name in their apartment before but never seemed to be able to cross paths with him. If his memory serves him right, he goes to Meiji University. “Nice to meet you.”

“Nice to meet you too,” he says, and Oikawa can’t help but notice how deep his voice is. Sawamura’s eyes flit over to Iwaizumi, who hasn’t said a word so far, Oikawa realizes. He supposes he should introduce as well.

“This is…” he trails off, fumbling for words because in that split second, he can’t decide how he should introduce Iwaizumi. Technically they’re boyfriends but it’s only for show and there isn’t a need to put up a show in front of these two right?

In his hesitance, someone speaks instead and it’s the person Oikawa least expected.

“Hey Iwaizumi,” Sawamura addresses, casual smile on his lips.

“Hey Sawamura,” Iwaizumi replies naturally, like he actually knew the guy. Sugawara looks at them with surprise and mild interest. Oikawa on the hand, has his mouth hanging open. “Happy new year.”

“Happy new year.”

“What,” Oikawa interrupts, eyes darting over the both of them. “What is this? You guys know each other?”

“We work together at the rehab centre,” Iwaizumi tells him. (Ah, so that’s why Nippori sounded familiar. He’s probably heard Sugawara mention in before.)

“And you’re saying this now?” Oikawa squawks. “After we had a full conversation?”

“You were talking,” Iwaizumi says as-a-matter-of-factly. Oikawa feels like he should have a comeback for that but Sugawara catches their attention with a laugh.

“I didn’t know you’re attached,” he says to Oikawa, eyebrow raised.

“Oh we’re—” Iwaizumi starts to say and Oikawa doesn’t know why that clarifying tone sets him on edge.

“There you are!!” a feminine voice shouts over their conversation. “Come on Tooru, Iwaizumi-kun. Mum and dad are done—oh my! Koushi-kun!!”

Oikawa Kumi joins them then, squealing when she sees the familiar face.

Sugawara smiles at her in amusement and Oikawa wonders where she got such good timing. He hopes it doesn’t put them in a spot. “It’s good to see you again Kumi-san.”

“It’s been so long since I last saw you!” Kumi exclaims. “I still remember how you were always trying to get the students to be on time for assembly when I dropped Tooru off at school. You’ve grown up nicely huh.”

The cheeky comment makes Sugawara smile sheepishly, decidedly ignoring his boyfriend’s entertained expression. Seems like the new year has brought along a fair share of interesting meetings.

“Nee-san, I know you’re excited to see Suga after such a long time but we should probably not intrude on their date any further,” Oikawa tells her, trying to move along before it gets problematic.

As of now, Kumi doesn’t know that Oikawa and Iwaizumi have yet to explicitly say they’re together so there’s still a chance to drop the act in front of Sugawara and Sawamura. So as long as she doesn’t reveal anything…

“Oh, let me catch up with an old friend,” she dismisses lightly and Oikawa wrinkles his nose at that. They weren’t particularly close, were they? “It’s not like I can do that anytime you know. You guys live together and can even go on double dates!”

Whoops, there it is. Oikawa purses his lips awkwardly. He can’t be certain if he just felt Iwaizumi stiffen beside him. So much for not revealing anything…

“It’s fine if you do you know,” she continues off tangent. “I’ll just let mum and dad know.”

“Ah, we still have some visiting to do,” Sugawara interjects. “But speaking of which…”

Iwaizumi doesn’t like the way the sentence hangs there, with Sugawara looking at Sawamura like he’s planning something. There’s a hopeful glint in his amber eyes, and he can tell it doesn’t spell anything good.

“Do you want to join us for a weekend stay at the Nikko hot springs next week?” he asks expectantly and Iwaizumi has to fight down a resolute ‘no’. Sugawara continues obliviously, “It’s just, Daichi has free tickets and we haven’t been able to find another couple to go and it seems like such a waste to throw it away.”

“It’s over the weekend, so you won’t need to miss any classes or work,” Sawamura adds and Iwaizumi makes a mental note to talk to him about this.

Before they can conjure some reason to decline the invitation, Kumi looks at the four of them with interest and quips at Sawamura, “Oh oh, what’s this? Do you know Iwaizumi-kun too?”

Oikawa and Iwaizumi look at each other like two deer caught in the headlights. This is getting a little out of their hands.

“Yeah, we’re actually co-workers,” Sawamura tells her.

“What a small world!” she exclaims delightedly. “Isn’t this even better? A double date at the hot springs for the weekend…it’s a good opportunity to relax before the year piles you up with schoolwork. You guys should definitely go!”

“That’s great!” Sugawara cheers before Iwaizumi can lie about having plans already or something. “We have to make a move now but I’ll text you the details Oikawa. Or Daichi can text Iwaizumi-san. Or whichever way is fine. Anyway, it was nice meeting you all today!”

When they bid their farewells, Oikawa risks a glance at Iwaizumi and immediately regrets it. He looks like he’s going to have a serious discussion with him about this. They’re not able to talk about it now though, as Kumi, the clueless architect behind this unexpected turn of events, says, “Come on, let’s go. Mum wants to eat at the okonomiyaki place before it gets crowded.”

Iwaizumi follows, tuning out the Oikawas’ conversation _(“Where’s Takeru?”—“He’s with mum and dad.”—“Why do you not take care of your kid?”—“Why do you not take care of your dandruff problem?”)_ as he wonders how things have gotten complicated.

He doesn’t show his discomfort as he joins Oikawa’s family for lunch though, because they treat him to surprisingly good okonomiyaki and are actually really nice people that he feels bad for deceiving them over the weekend and disappearing from their lives right after.

* * *

That night, Oikawa sits on his bed, contemplating on whether he should text Iwaizumi or not. After lunch, Iwaizumi had gotten a call from his landlord over some emergency at the apartment and had to rush back to Tokyo. Because of that, their parting had been a short and abrupt affair, leaving them no time to discuss about the DaiSuga situation (Oikawa dubbed it himself).

He’d thought about it.

Now that Sugawara and Sawamura are under the impression he and Iwaizumi are together, they’d have to continue the charade if they go. He can’t risk letting the cat out of the bag and having his sister find out. He’d never hear the end of it. The tiny, logical part of him tells him that she won’t ever find out because Sugawara isn’t a tattle-tale but the enormously irrational part of him is eclipsing. So the only way to make this fool proof is to keep up the performance for all audiences.

Which is essentially dragging out something that should have ended in two days. Yet, for some inexplicable reason, he doesn’t want to _not_ go. They’re being given free tickets to a weekend stay at the hot springs after all. That itself is already a reason to accept. It would be like rewarding themselves for a job well done. He tells himself he’s not making excuses, it’s just…who wouldn’t want free shit?

There’s so much he still needs to talk to Iwaizumi about and it didn’t feel right for them to part like that. Iwaizumi hasn’t texted Oikawa about it as well, so he can’t be sure what he’s thinking about regarding this. Oikawa wouldn’t be able to sleep tonight if he left it hanging, which compels him to pick up his phone to text Iwaizumi.

**_You:_ ** _hey iwa-chan. u awake?  
_ **_You:_ ** _thought we should at least talk about that what happened this afternoon  
_ **_You:_ ** _it’s crazy right? that we’d meet refreshing-kun and his bf who turns out to be your co-worker  
_ **_You:_ ** _anyway, are u mad that we have to go to the hot springs trip?_

He busies himself with packing his bag for the move back to Tokyo while he waits for a reply, which comes in a few minutes later.

**_Iwa-chan:_ ** _i'm not mad because we don’t have to go_

Oikawa knits his eyebrows, perplexed.

**_You:_ ** _what do u mean?  
_ **_Iwa-chan:_ ** _you only needed me as a fake bf for the family visit right?  
_ **_Iwa-chan:_ ** _there’s no need to pretend we’re together in front of sawamura and sugawara  
_ **_Iwa-chan:_ ** _just tell them the truth  
_ **_You:_ ** _did u forget that my sister was there  
_ **_Iwa-chan:_ ** _so? tell sugawara not to tell your sister  
_ **_You:_ ** _iwa-chan, u never know how these things spread  
_ **_Iwa-chan:_ ** _i'm sure he can keep his mouth sealed…  
_ **_You:_ ** _famous last words  
_ **_Iwa-chan:_ ** _huh?  
_ **_You:_ ** _all i'm saying is that u can never be too sure about closing all the loopholes  
_ **_You:_ ** _even when u think u’ve taken all the precautions  
_ **_Iwa-chan:_ ** _ok fine don’t tell them the truth. tell them we can’t make it then  
_ **_Iwa-chan:_ ** _i’m sure you can find a lot of reasons for that  
_ **_You:_ ** _are u sure u want to give up free tickets to a weekend stay at the hot springs?  
_ **_You:_ ** _it’s free  
_ **_You:_ ** _it’s the hot springs  
_ **_You:_ ** _it’s one weekend  
_ **_You:_ ** _we probably don’t even need to be with them throughout the whole trip  
_ **_You:_ ** _i’m sure they want to have their alone time  
_ **_You:_ ** _so we don’t have to act that much  
_ **_You:_ ** _did i mention that its free?_

* * *

Iwaizumi has only himself to blame when he finds himself face-to-face with a way too chirpy Oikawa next Friday afternoon. He could have said no, but he didn’t. So here he is, a packed duffel bag in hand and train ticket to Nikko in the other.

The train ride there wasn’t unpleasant, although he’d rather Oikawa not talk that much. He tells him that Sugawara Koushi is a perceptive man so they have to take it up a notch. Iwaizumi snorts and tells him not to freak out when he holds his hand then. That shuts Oikawa up for a while. To Iwaizumi, if they find out, then they find out. He thinks Oikawa is just paranoid. He spends the quiet moments thinking about the hot springs.

They’ll be staying in Kirifuri and the hot spring hotel Sawamura got his hands on is quite impressive. Each couple will have their own room (thank God) and they will be able to enjoy the hundred different types of baths, massage centre and what-not. He admits it is a shame if no one else claimed it. But a big reason why he gave in was that he’d always wanted to go on a hiking trail in Nikko and Kirifuri’s hiking trails offered a challenge that rewarded determined hikers picturesque views of the waterfalls.

That’s something he’s looking forward to. Until Oikawa interrupts their peace with another round of chattering.

By the time they reached the place, it was already evening and Sawamura and Sugawara had invited them to have dinner together. Iwaizumi supposes that should be expected and was pleasantly surprised that their kaiseki dinner was part of the package.

“So Oikawa, why didn’t you ever tell us you were attached?” Sugawara asks after they went through their well-practiced narration on how they met and got together. He sounds a little miffed, like Oikawa _should_ be telling him these sort of stuff.

“You know,” Oikawa starts, picking up his boiled vegetables to stall for time. “We just got together. We wanted to test it out before we let everyone know.”

“It’s about time you do that isn’t it? I mean, Kuroo’s going to keep forwarding you Tinder profiles if you don’t,” Sugawara brings up. Why is he even on Tinder, Oikawa asks himself sometimes. He has like the biggest crush on his childhood friend. “And it seems like things are going well right? Considering how long you guys have been together.”

“It’s only three months,” Iwaizumi points out. By his standard, that’s not long at all.

Sugawara looks sheepish as he says, “That’s…almost a personal best. Oikawa’s track record is umm…”

It’s enough to pique Iwaizumi’s curiosity. He thinks of it as a good opportunity to tease him since he’s always such an idiot.

“Is that so? What’s it like?

“It doesn’t matter!” Oikawa says quickly, an embarrassed blush forming on his cheeks.

“Tell me. I’m interested.”

He locks eyes with Oikawa, waiting smugly for an answer, and Oikawa avoids his gaze by poking at his grilled fish. Relenting, he tells him reluctantly, “My past relationships lasted from a couple weeks to a couple of months…”

“What’s the reason?”

Oikawa doesn’t respond to that and sticks a piece of grilled fish into his mouth, his cheeks puffing out comically as he chews. Iwaizumi thinks it’s cute how he’s self-conscious about it.

“It’s nothing to be embarrassed about,” Sugawara assures and grins at Iwaizumi. “Apparently, the most quoted reason is because Oikawa’s so busy with his schoolwork that he’s got no time for his relationships.”

Oikawa’s blush deepens when Iwaizumi laughs out loud.

“Are you serious?” he asks, the edges of his eyes crinkling in amusement. “Was he always like this? A space nerd?”

“Well in middle school—”

“Hey!” the poor protagonist protests. “Why are we discussing about me?”

“So in middle school,” Sugawara continues like he wasn’t just interrupted, easily ignoring Oikawa’s indignant squawk. “He was quite obsessed with aliens. Read a lot about them and watched a lot of movies, from ET to Alien. It was quite comical, the way he talked about it sometimes but we all thought it was kinda cute.”

“Really?” Iwaizumi says in that teasing voice of his that Oikawa is beginning to have mixed feelings about. “So you believe in aliens?”

“It was a phase!” he insists hotly and Iwaizumi notices he doesn’t say he grew out of it. Oikawa calms himself down before steering the conversation away, “Stop talking about me. What about you huh Iwa-chan? Sawamura, what’s Iwa-chan like at work? Does he skive? Bully his juniors?”

Sawamura’s chawanmushi slips from his tiny spoon as he laughs, deep and open. “He doesn’t do any of that. Iwaizumi’s a reliable guy. He’s really good with the patients his age and the old folks too.”

“Oh,” Oikawa mutters, his tone a little disappointed. “Why do I feel like I already know this.”

“You should come visit,” Sawamura invites and Iwaizumi shifts in his seat. He can’t drag out this whole fake dating thing any longer than it has to. “The rehab centre can be quite…lively. Especially when Iwaizumi gets rostered to help out with the therapists.”

“Ahh, he lives pretty far so it’s not convenient,” Iwaizumi responds hastily.

“It’s okay, I visit Daichi sometimes too,” Sugawara supplies, catching Iwaizumi off guard. He’d forgotten about the fact that they lived together. Keeping up with the lies takes up a lot of brainpower.

“Oh um, it gets pretty busy at night so…”

“We can go back together if they finish work late,” Sugawara says to Oikawa (un)helpfully.

Instead of trying to lie his way out of this, Oikawa simply smiles. “We’ll see. I have to help out with the Peer Helpers Programme on some nights.”

“You’re in a Peer Helpers Programme?” Iwaizumi asks, surprise evident in his voice, which makes Oikawa pout.

“You don’t have to sound so surprised.”

“No it’s just,” he says, burying the morsel of guilt with harmless teasing. “I thought you’d join some conspiracy theory circle about aliens or something.”

“Stop it with the aliens!!”

Iwaizumi chuckles as Oikawa childishly jabs at his tempura, effectively stealing it from his dish. He lets him have it.

“You guys get along well,” Sugawara points out, entertained. And out of everything (from the hand-holding when they first met up with Sawamura and Sugawara to the casual teasing), they decide to be embarrassed about this one innocuous comment.

Perhaps it’s because it makes them realize that in that moment, and the moments before, they weren’t acting at all. When their banter and teasing aren’t undergirded with the safety net of an act, it makes things real and that kinda goes against the nature of their arrangement.

Oikawa clears his throat awkwardly. “Anyway, what are your plans for tomorrow?”

“We’re thinking of heading to town for sightseeing,” Sawamura answers. “Do you want to come along? We’re okay if you guys have other plans. You probably want to spend some time together.”

“Actually, I was hoping I could hike to Kirifuri falls,” Iwaizumi says.

“Oh yes, I heard the hotel staff recommending that,” Sugawara tells him.

“Hiking?” Oikawa repeats in a tone that can only be read as apprehensive.

Detecting his reluctance and deciding to torment him for it, Iwaizumi says with a smirk, fully aware that Oikawa cannot possibly refuse, “Yeah, you’re free to join me.”

Knowing he’s being played, Oikawa answers with a plastic smile, words dripping with honey, “Of course I’ll join you. Silly Iwa-chan.”

If they noticed how they had learned more about each other during that meal instead of pretending they were together, neither of them showed it.

* * *

Oikawa knew Iwaizumi was well-built. The guy exercises regularly and used to be an athlete so he really shouldn’t be this startled to see his toned arms and the tight muscles of his naked body when he immerses into the hot spring. It’s probably for the better that he missed the opportune moment when Iwaizumi’s assets disappear under the water.

Iwaizumi releases a contented sigh as the hot water washes over him, the tiredness of the day seeping into the mist. Spending the first night at the hot springs is a must and Iwaizumi is thankful for this rare opportunity, all things considered.

Oikawa watches him furtively from a few metres away. Even if they weren’t actually together, it doesn’t mean he couldn’t appreciate an attractive form when he sees one. He’s secretly relieved that Sawamura and Sugawara are not here to call him out on his suspicious behaviour, having favoured a stroll after that sumptuous and filling meal.

But Oikawa didn’t accompany Iwaizumi to the hot springs to ogle at him. He’s not sure why he tagged along, but it was also definitely not so they can sit metres apart with a blanket of silence over them.

“Are we really going hiking tomorrow?” he asks genuinely.

“I am,” Iwaizumi answers, opening his eyes. “You don’t actually have to follow me. Sawamura and Sugawara won’t know.”

That’s true, but it doesn’t sound appealing.

“But it’s boring to be alone,” he pouts.

“Don’t be a brat.”

“I’m not!” he balks, sitting up against the stone. “I’ll go alright?”

“Sure,” Iwaizumi says easily, dragging a hand down his face and leaving the tips of his short fringe damp. “But if you slow me down, I’ll leave you behind.”

“You show no mercy huh,” Oikawa says dryly. “You know, it’s because of me that we get to enjoy a free stay at this wonderful hotel. Shouldn’t you be more grateful?”

“Who says I’m not? But it’s also because of you that I have to play this fake-dating game.”

“Is it really that bad?” Oikawa wonders softly. It’s true that keeping up the charade could be troublesome, especially for Iwaizumi who got embroiled into the whole thing, but Oikawa thought they handled it well and if he daresay, had a few pleasant moments. He sinks into the steamy water until it covers the bottom of his chin, disgruntlement flowing into the heat.

“No…” Iwaizumi concedes, feeling bad about being too harsh.

But Oikawa emerges abruptly the second he says that, a cheeky smile on his irritatingly fresh face.

“Just kidding!”

“Asshole,” Iwaizumi says, annoyed that he fell for that and even more annoyed that his eyes linger on the droplets of water that slide down Oikawa’s collarbone. He averts his gaze quickly and settles back against the stone, intentionally ignoring the smug expression on his companion’s face. Oikawa doesn’t bother hiding the happy smile playing at the corner of his lips for catching the honest way Iwaizumi had said “no”. It gives him a cheap sense of satisfaction but Oikawa knew he was flawed that way.

Iwaizumi breaks their silence with a question.

“Why did you call me that day?” he asks. It’s random but he’s been pondering over it for a while now. “You saw the flyer right? I didn’t know someone would actually call. Seems reckless.”

It’s bizarre that all it took was one phone call to land himself in this peculiar situation. And it must have taken an equally weird or crazy person to make that call in the first place.

Oikawa shrugs. “Frankly, it was a spur of the moment kinda thing.”

Iwaizumi can’t say he expected anything else from this frivolous person but he frowns, “What if I turned out to be some creep?”

“You didn’t look like a creep in the picture,” Oikawa points out innocently.

“It could be fake,” he says in a slightly reprimanding tone. “Hell, even the number could be fake. What if it led to some shady syndicate that tries to kidnap unsuspecting people like you?”

Now that he thought about it, it could be potentially dangerous if some predator did indeed employ this tactic. He could only hope others won’t be as idiotic as the person before him.

“That’s oddly detailed,” Oikawa remarks light-heartedly. “Anyway, I wasn’t thinking too hard at that time. I was on the phone with my mum and it was the hundredth time she was nagging about why I’m not in a relationship so…yeah.”

“So why aren’t you?”

Oikawa blinks at Iwaizumi, taking a second to absorb that.

“Like Refreshing-kun said over dinner,” he answers, absentmindedly paddling his hands through the water. “My exes thought I cared more about my schoolwork than about the relationship.”

“That’s all?” Iwaizumi probes, eyeing him doubtfully.

“You don’t believe me?” Oikawa asks back, meeting his gaze.

Iwaizumi looks away, “You know what they say about people who are attractive but single.”

“You think I’m attractive?”

“You really like fishing for compliments don’t you?” he retorts. “I might actually do it more if you aren’t so pompous about it.”

Oikawa wants to throw out a witty remark but his brain short-circuits when Iwaizumi decides he’s done chilling at the hot spring and without so much as a warning, lifts himself out of the water, the steam doing little to hide his bare backside. The brunette thinks he made a small sound of surprise but he can’t be sure with all the blood that’s rushing up his neck and face at that brazenness, that glorious piece of flesh.

There are very few people who can render Oikawa speechless since he always seems to have some snarky comment, some sharp comeback, some clever observation. He feels a slight bit ashamed that it’s the sight of someone’s derriere that steals the words from his mouth, someone who didn’t even bother looking back to see the damage he’s done.

Unbeknownst to him, Iwaizumi smirks at his little victory, fully aware of the damage he’s done.

(Later that night when Oikawa entered their tatami room worrying over their sleeping arrangements, Iwaizumi had looked up at him, announcing gladly—too gladly, Oikawa might add—“They gave us two futons!”)

* * *

Oikawa’s beginning to regret following Iwaizumi on his hike.

The trip to Kirifuri falls is long and arduous and Oikawa’s knees are about to give out. Iwaizumi on the other hand, appears to have completely no issue with hiking non-stop for the past half-hour. Is he fit or does Oikawa need more exercise? Both, he decides.

“Are we there yet?”

“We’re not even halfway there,” is Iwaizumi’s unfortunate reply and Oikawa groans.

“Is this fun to you?” he asks, more like accuses. He understands that there is some treasure in the form of breath-taking views and a sense of accomplishment that await those who reach the summit, but he’d rather take the gondola thank you very much.

Iwaizumi rolls his eyes. “As a matter of fact, it is.”

“How?” Oikawa pants out as he climbs a series of rather steep steps.

Iwaizumi watches impassively as the energy drains out of Oikawa, who rests his palms on his knees while he catches his breath. He had originally intended to take the hikers’ trail but for the sake of his companion, he compromised and went for the normal trail. Yet, that still proved to be too strenuous for the prince. For someone who looks like that, he is startlingly unfit. Iwaizumi is not impressed, so he elects to ignore his question.

When the astronomy major finally catches up to him at the top of the steps, he asks hopefully, “Can we rest?”

“No, let’s go.”

Oikawa whines but follows after him anyway. He doesn’t talk as much as he’d like, and the steep slopes and high steps are to blame. He pauses after conquering these obstacles to regain his energy and despite what he said the previous night, Iwaizumi waits for him at the end of it, sometimes with an impatient look, other times with a preoccupation with the surrounding nature. But he waits all the same.

Eventually, the trail evens out to Oikawa’s relief, and he manages to keep up with Iwaizumi’s pace.

“You still haven’t told me what you want,” Oikawa says after a bout of companionable silence, “in exchange for pretending to be my boyfriend.”

Iwaizumi hums thoughtfully. It’s not like he keeps a wish list and it’s hard to think of something right off the bat. Granted, he’s had time to think, but every time he did, “Nothing comes to mind.”

“Something you like? Something related to your hobbies?” Oikawa suggests helpfully, keeping his eyes on the trail and avoiding a particularly muddy area. Suddenly, his eyes light up with an idea, “Oh what about something hiking-related, since you like it so much.”

The only things that Iwaizumi imagines are hiking gear and shoes. He’s wanted to get a Garmin Fenix 5, only the best multi-sport smart watch for outdoor conditions in his humble opinion, but those things cost an arm and a leg and 74,000 yen. He doubts Oikawa has that kind of money laying around. And even if he did, he wasn’t an asshole who’d shamelessly ask for something like that.

“Those things are expensive,” he says.

Besides, at this point in time, he doesn’t really want anything from Oikawa. Sure, he was dragged into this whole charade by a literal stranger and he thought he should get compensated for spending a whole weekend deceiving said stranger’s family and his co-worker but accepting something from Oikawa now seems wrong. After all, he hadn’t been lying the whole time and they were no longer strangers.

“You know what,” he continues, looking at Oikawa. “Why not you just owe me a favour? I’ll cash it in when I need it.”

Oikawa purses his lips and considers it. “A favour for a favour. Fair enough.”

“That’s settled then,” Iwaizumi says with a nod.

“Just out of curiosity,” the taller of them continues tentatively. “How long is this favour good for?”

“Are you seriously asking me for an expiration date?” Iwaizumi shoots back, squinting his eyes.

Oikawa rolls back his shoulders defensively. “What if you never cash it in and ten years later I get a call from you asking me to hide a body or something?”

When he doesn’t receive any response from his partner, Oikawa looks up to see Iwaizumi scoff and hears a laugh. It’s a spontaneous one, earnest and not derisive but Oikawa feels his cheeks flame.

“You’re ridiculous,” Iwaizumi says, grinning in amusement. Who thinks of shit like that?

Oikawa doesn’t even want to make a witty or suave comment. He kind of just wants to relish in the fact that he made Iwaizumi, serious, can’t-lie-to-save-a-life-Iwaizumi laugh like that without actually trying. But he stops in his tracks, not because he was distracted by how handsome Iwaizumi looks with his eyebrows scrunched and lips curled, but because a daunting flight of rocky and muddy steps looms before him.

“No, _this_ is ridiculous,” Oikawa breathes out, staring at his next obstacle in disbelief. There’s got to be at least a hundred steps, all taunting him to prove that he isn’t more unfit than he already is. It’s unfortunate that his competitive spirit exacerbates his predicament, for when he watches Iwaizumi climb those steps with relative ease, leaving him behind with a challenging smirk, Oikawa overestimates himself and starts scaling with sheer determination.

He’s one-third through until his willpower is no longer commensurate with his endurance. Panting, Oikawa leans against a tree, perspiration dripping down his neck and into his collar even though it’s winter.

“You go ahead…” he gasps, making a shooing motion at Iwaizumi, who’s watching him from too high up. “I’ll—catch up.”

Iwaizumi is not one to gloat in someone’s demise but witnessing Oikawa’s absolute lethargy after climbing some steps is a tiny bit laughable. It’s not his fault that he feels compelled to immortalize this in his phone. Blatantly, he pulls out his phone and opens the camera app, capturing Oikawa in his huffing and sweat-filled moment. The camera clicks and Oikawa snaps up instantly, narrowing his eyes suspiciously.

“Did you just take a picture of me?” he demands.

“Yup.”

“Why would you take a picture of me,” he whines. “Like this?”

“Blackmail,” Iwaizumi answers candidly, pocketing his phone.

Oikawa shakes his head but otherwise stays rooted on the spot. “If I weren’t so damn exhausted, I’d go up there and make you delete it.”

Embarrassing himself was never on the agenda but everyone’s got a limit and they can’t all be former athletes with abs and biceps like a certain someone.

That certain someone—spiky-haired frequent hiker who’s asking himself why he puts up with this yet doesn’t finish the rest of the trail alone—rolls his eyes humourously and descends. He stops a couple of steps above Oikawa, nothing but silent understanding on his usually hard features, and stretches out a hand to him. It’s enough of teasing for today, he supposes, and albeit the grievances, Oikawa wasn’t that insufferable.

“Come on,” he urges, but not impatiently. “The next rest stop is only five minutes away.”

It startles Oikawa, who didn’t expect something so…gentle?...from someone who’s brusque and whose every other sentence is a jab at his general being. Oikawa’s starting to realize that he’ll make this weird if he continues staring at Iwaizumi with an opened mouth, so he shakes his thoughts away and takes his hand.

Iwaizumi pulls him up and they’re standing eye-to-eye. Oikawa waits for him to say something, because he looks like he has something to say.

“Let’s go,” Iwaizumi merely says, looking up the trail instead of into Oikawa’s brown eyes. Somehow, that feels more dangerous than the steep steps before them. “I’ll let you take the gondola down later.”

Oikawa is reminded how thoughtful Iwaizumi can be, despite how he acts in front of him. It makes him forget about the unglamourous blackmail photo. It makes him smile a silly smile.

* * *

So apparently, there is no gondola down.

But luckily for Oikawa, the hike down is infinitely easier. And for putting him through all that, Oikawa forces Iwaizumi to agree to whatever he wants to do for the evening. That entails another double-date dinner with Sawamura and Sugawara in town (not part of the plan but Oikawa doesn’t mind) and a quest to see the stars from the mountaintop—this time with a gondola. Even Iwaizumi agrees it’s too cold at night for a hike up.

“And that’s Taurus, the one above Orion,” Oikawa points at the sky, as if that helps Iwaizumi spot the constellation. It’s all just bright spots in the dark sky to him. “Look for the brightest star, which is called Aldebaran by the way, and is part of a long ‘V’…that’s the head and horns of the bull, and on the other side, it branches out into two more prongs. And that’s Taurus!”

Iwaizumi nods thoughtfully and tilts his head in an attempt to distinguish the constellation from the mass of other twinkling lights but comes up with nothing.

“It’s nice and all but I have to break it to you,” he tells Oikawa, whose eyes glimmer like the stars. “I can’t see whatever you’ve just pointed out to me.”

Oikawa’s face falls and he does that thing where his lips are pressed together and upturned on the right side.

“You could have said so earlier,” he says dryly, feeling a bit embarrassed that he had been so animated when Iwaizumi was clueless.

“I thought you’re an astronomy major,” Iwaizumi says, resting his elbows on the railing where they had camped to watch the stars. “Not an astrology major.”

“Impressive Iwa-chan,” Oikawa praises with a raised brow and an approving nod. “You actually know the difference.”

“You make it sound like it’s not a well-known fact.”

“Iwa-chan, you’d be surprised how many people start talking about horoscopes when I tell them I’m an astronomy major,” Oikawa tells him, sounding like he’s already desensitized to it. “And anyway, I like studying the galaxy and stars are a part of the galaxy.”

“Including aliens?” Iwaizumi can’t help but add.

It provokes a scandalized sound from Oikawa, but he stops it there because what’s the point of denying his fascination with aliens anymore?

“Yes,” he replies firmly and smugly. “Including aliens.”

“Do you seriously believe in them?” Iwaizumi asks, all jokes aside.

“Don’t you?” Oikawa asks back, eyes going round with renewed fervour. “The universe is vast and the possibilities are endless. Don’t you think it’s plausible that there are other intelligent life forms out there?”

The more he talks, the more excitement seeps into his voice. Iwaizumi knows he’s every bit of a space nerd his sister and Sugawara say he is. There are many types of nerds—there are those whose wealth of knowledge makes them arrogant, there are the quiet kinds who are content with simply dwelling in their little bubble and then there’s Oikawa, who lets himself be carried away by his passion, unassumingly and heedless to his surroundings. Iwaizumi finds it endearing, but Oikawa doesn’t need to know that.

“I mean,” he shrugs. “I wouldn’t be surprised if we do discover extra-terrestrial life. Considering the outrageous things we see in the world, what else can be more shocking?”

“I’m glad you understand,” Oikawa says favourably, then pins Iwaizumi with an affronted expression, eyebrows creasing. “Hey! If you believe in aliens too, then why are you always making fun of me for it!”

“It’s just funny,” he confesses with a grin.

“Wow. Happy to be of some entertainment value,” Oikawa says sarcastically.

Iwaizumi scoffs and they fall into a comfortable silence. Oikawa keeps his eyes on the night sky, marvelling at how cosmic explosions appear as mere specks of light to their eyes. It’s been a while since he went star-gazing like this. He couldn’t do this in the city because it was always cloudy and he didn’t borrow the school’s telescope very often. Here in the outskirts of town, the clouds parted to allow them a view.

“The stars are really bright tonight,” Oikawa says softly.

Iwaizumi glances at him from the corner of his eye and licks his lips.

“You’d really like the countryside then,” he tells him.

When Oikawa looks at him with mild bemusement, Iwaizumi adds, “The skies are clearer. Less pollution. The stars are always bright there.”

“And you tell me you don’t watch the stars,” Oikawa teases.

“I played a lot in the outdoors when I was young and watching the stars was kinda part of the package,” he explains. That’s how his childhood was like living in Sendai. It gets Oikawa to think about his own childhood, which was filled with cartoons, storybooks and the occasional trip to Disneyland or the Pokémon Centre. Their childhoods were so different, both having grown up in the countryside and the city, but here they are.

“Oh,” is the only thing he manages.

“Have you not travelled to the countryside before?”

“Not really.”

Iwaizumi laughs. “You’re such a city boy.”

* * *

“I’m beat!” Oikawa announces the moment they return to their tatami room, collapsing onto the futon and giving himself a good, long stretch.

Iwaizumi ignores him in favour of packing his belongings into his duffel bag. They’d just returned from the baths and are dressed in the ryokan’s comfy yukatas. Their delightful hot springs stay has come to an end, and Iwaizumi doesn’t want to leave the packing to tomorrow morning, when they have to check out.

“You need to exercise more,” he says, stuffing his clothes into the bag. “For someone who’s as lean as yourself, I’m appalled at your fitness level.”

When he doesn’t hear a reply from his companion, Iwaizumi looks over his shoulder to see Oikawa sitting up, massaging the crook of his neck.

“You okay?” he asks.

“Hmm, yeah,” Oikawa answers, hitting the aching spot lightly with his fist. “Just sore.”

It’s been a whole day of physical activity—not something his body was accustomed to, and even the hot springs couldn’t relieve the soreness out of his muscles. It’s not that bad now, but when tomorrow comes, so will the ache.

“Your shoulder especially?”

“My weak spot,” Oikawa admits sheepishly. Ever since he quit kyudo, he’s tried not to aggravate it. Doctor’s orders.

“You never told me you had a shoulder injury,” Iwaizumi comments.

“Didn’t seem like a crucial detail,” Oikawa responds flippantly. When he quit back in high school, it had been a dark period in his life and even now, Oikawa pretends it doesn’t bother him as much as it does.

Iwaizumi frowns at the dismissive reply, advancing towards Oikawa’s sitting frame.

“Turn around,” he orders.

“What?” Oikawa says, wary.

“I’m not going to do anything weird,” the sports science major assures. “Just turn around.”

“Okay…” Oikawa yields and does as he’s told. He sits cross-legged facing the wall and hears the rustling of sheets as Iwaizumi presumably kneels behind him. He doesn’t realize he’s holding his breath until he feels steady hands on his shoulders, warm and large against the cloth of his yukata.

His shoulders relax as he lets out a breath. Iwaizumi kneads his muscles, smoothening out the hard knots and introducing some much-needed relief for the soreness. He’s surprised to receive such thoughtful treatment from his fake boyfriend, who’s in fact acting like a real boyfriend by doing this. His hands feel incredible against the ache and Oikawa relishes in the way it rolls off his shoulders.

“This feels good,” Oikawa smiles. “Thanks Iwa-chan.”

Iwaizumi grunts in response and digs an elbow into the juncture where his neck meets his shoulder. It evokes a groan from Oikawa because of course it feels amazing. One of the perks of being in this field of study was that he legitimately learnt techniques like these.

“You know,” Oikawa starts again. “I haven’t thanked you properly for being my fake boyfriend and all. So—”

“If you say ‘thanks’ one more time, I’ll crack your neck,” Iwaizumi tells him flatly, pressing hardly on a particular spot. He’s not used to being thanked simply because he never expects it.

“Okay sheesh. You’re so violent.”

Iwaizumi lets that comment slide and continues to work his magic on Oikawa’s aching shoulders.

“You know, I thought you were going to bail on me,” the younger of them says. It’s like he can’t stay quiet for long. But he says it under his breath, Iwaizumi almost misses it.

He had thought the same at one point, but he followed through with it. He hadn’t wanted to be involved at all, but one of Oikawa’s strong suits was his doggedness and Iwaizumi could never hold his own in the face of such persistence very well. He never should have agreed in the first place but life messes with you in the weirdest ways sometimes.

Once he promises, he never goes back, no matter how reluctant he was. Deal with it and move on, that’s his motto.

“I keep my word,” he says.

“I know,” Oikawa says with a smile that Iwaizumi cannot see. He hides a shy expression as he hazards a question, “What’s going to happen to us after this?”

He didn’t intend for it to sound so…suggestive—and he starts to worry when Iwaizumi’s fingers slacken.

“What do you mean?”

“I mean, do I still get to see you?”

They may have started out as fake boyfriends in an entirely transactional arrangement—one weekend (now two) and that’s the end of it—but in these two weekends of fake dating, Oikawa’s enjoyed himself far more than he had with previous failed dates. He had enjoyed Iwaizumi’s company and he thinks, it’d be nice if they could…stay in touch.

Oikawa turns around when Iwaizumi’s fingers are no longer on his shoulders.

“Why would you want to see me?” he asks, genuine curiosity in his sharp green eyes. Oikawa’s chest squeezes at the innocence of it all.

“We may not be fake boyfriends anymore,” he answers, a hopeful lilt in his voice. “But we could still be friends.”

Surprise crosses Iwaizumi’s features. He didn’t expect to be entangled in this charade, let alone form an unlikely friendship with his co-actor, but said co-actor is interesting to say the least so he supposes he isn’t opposed to the idea.

“I guess we could.”

He leans back against his calves, meeting Oikawa’s gaze. They’re not very far apart like this, shoulder to chest until Oikawa shifts to face him. He adjusts his yukata and looks back up, growing a little nervous at the way Iwaizumi gazes at him—tentative, unreadable, and nervous like him.

Is it bad? If they venture a little further?

They don’t get to find out, for a loud noise from the wall shatters the silence. They jump apart, startled by the rude interruption. It sounded like someone dropped something heavy, and it quells whatever wild ideas they had about their affiliation. Iwaizumi clears his throat.

“We should—go to sleep. We have to check out early tomorrow.”

Oikawa, suppressing the disappointment that settles in the pit of his stomach, nods awkwardly.

“Yeah. Okay.”

* * *

Just when Oikawa thought their fake dating act has met its fateful conclusion, he’s made to realize that these things have a way of sneaking up on you again, for three days later, he receives an unexpected call from Iwaizumi.

_“Oikawa? I think I’ll need to cash in that favour now.”_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am suffering from iwaoi withdrawal symptoms and I doubt it'll get any better with s4. Writings fics is my coping mechanism but man, it's tougher than I thought. How do people do it.


	3. a disappearing act

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy belated birthday Iwa-chan!!! I can't draw, make videos, and I don't make graphics/gifs anymore so this is my only contribution to the fandom.
> 
> And thank you all for your comments!

“Hey.”

“Hi Iwa-chan,” Oikawa greets with a smile hanging on the edges of his mouth.

“Look,” Iwaizumi starts awkwardly, rubbing a hand across the back of his neck and looking down at his feet, something he does whenever he’s embarrassed. “I’m sorry to call you out for this—”

“Don’t be a stranger,” Oikawa cuts in helpfully. “A favour for a favour remember?”

“Yeah,” Iwaizumi agrees. Inhaling sharply, he shakes away his embarrassment and musters his willpower to get this over and done with. They’ve done this like two times already, and both times they got away with it, so everything’s going to be fine.

Admittedly, it felt odd when he thought about how it’s his friends they’re putting up an act for now, but he realizes he’s got nothing to prove so to hell with it.

“So Iwa-chan, tell me properly,” Oikawa asks, eyes already glinting with amusement. “How did we manage to get into this situation again?”

Iwaizumi shoves his hands into his winter jacket and sighs. “One of the other part-timers at the centre wanted to go out for drinks today and told everyone to bring their plus ones.”

He turns to face Oikawa as they wait for the red man to turn green at the traffic light. “Sawamura let out that I’m attached—told me to bring you along—and suddenly everyone got excited about it.”

“Is it so shocking that Iwa-chan is in a relationship?” Oikawa teases and promptly presses his lips in a thin line when Iwaizumi glares.

“As I was saying,” he continues. “The others started harassing me to invite you and wouldn’t give me a break until I said yes so…”

“You said yes.”

“No,” Iwaizumi says on the contrary and frowns. “I promised nothing but they just…clapped me on the back and said that they’ll see us today. And then they left.”

“Didn’t even give you the chance to answer huh,” Oikawa chuckles. And that’s how he finds himself following Iwaizumi to the bar where his co-workers were apparently waiting in anticipation to meet Iwaizumi’s mysterious boyfriend, who seemingly popped out of nowhere.

When he received that call from Iwaizumi two days ago, who offered vague details about what’s to come, Oikawa was buzzing with excitement, especially when being friends did not seem to include as much texting or hanging out as he would have liked. He didn’t take pleasure in deceiving people with their fake dating act, but he couldn’t deny that he liked being around Iwaizumi.

As Iwaizumi leads him along a street of izakayas and clubs, crowded and brightly lit on a Friday night, a thought suddenly goes off in Oikawa’s head.

“Why couldn’t you just tell them we were fake dating?” he asks.

He thought it was a legit question, since Iwaizumi didn’t need to put up an act in front of his friends. It was only Oikawa’s family who needed to be fooled. But Iwaizumi stares at him like he’s grown horns on his head.

“What are you talking about? Sawamura was there. He’d tell Sugawara that we were faking it and apparently you think your sister would find out and then the truth will be revealed to your parents. Also, weren’t you the one who said we needed close all the loopholes or something?”

“Oh. Right,” Oikawa mutters lamely. “You thought this out carefully.”

“You’re welcome.”

“For that,” Oikawa tells him proudly. “Tonight I’m going to be the best boyfriend you ever had.”

“Can you just not exaggerate?” Iwaizumi asks of him, already weary even before the highly-anticipated meeting that he will probably, likely regret agreeing to.

* * *

“Everyone, this is Oikawa Tooru. Oi—Tooru, this is everyone.”

Iwaizumi concludes his succinct introduction and slides into the booth beside Sawamura, making some space for Oikawa to join him.

“Sorry Iwa-chan is so bad at introductions,” Oikawa jokes without missing a beat, sitting shoulder-to-shoulder with him. “It’s nice to meet everyone. I go to Waseda too and I’m studying astronomy. I’m also Sugawara-kun’s housemate.”

Iwaizumi deliberately ignores the playful way Terushima and Lev mouth ‘Iwa-chan?’ to each other when the nickname slips out of his mouth.

“It’s nice to finally meet you!” a girl with brown hair in a bob greets. Though the booth insulates them from the sound around them, the music in the bar is still pretty loud and Oikawa leans forward slightly. “I’m Misaki Hana and this is Terushima Yuuji. Tall guy’s Haiba Lev and that’s Morisuke Yaku. I heard you already know Sugawara and Sawamura so no need for introductions there. Teru, Morisuke and Sawamura part-time at the centre and the rest of us are the plus ones.”

He commits their names to memory, which is easy especially for Terushima (the one with the undercut) and Haiba (Oikawa’s sure he has some European blood in him).

The mixed-blood speaks up and Oikawa notices he has a perfect Japanese accent. “I can’t believe Iwaizumi-san never introduced you to us sooner!”

“Yeah,” Terushima agrees. “We’ve met up like a few times already.”

“That’s what I said to Oikawa when he got himself a boyfriend without telling his housemates,” Sugawara adds.

“We wanted to get to know each other more before we let everyone know,” Oikawa explains, glancing at Iwaizumi who’s busy with the snacks they ordered before they arrived. He seems to be enjoying his yakitori. “There’s no rush.”

“Yeah and he’s here already isn’t he?” Iwaizumi supplies.

“Yes he is,” Terushima says, tone sly. “So, astronomy huh? Are you sure you’re not in arts or something?”

That earns him a good smack to his undercut.

“Don’t be rude!” Misaki scolds.

“It’s a compliment! A compliment!” he insists, rubbing the back of his head. Science students aren’t usually this good-looking to him.

“Don’t mind him,” Misaki tells Oikawa apologetically. “He’s the kind with no filter.”

“I don’t mind,” Oikawa smiles good-naturedly. He caught the indirect compliment and although it was stereotypical, stereotypes are generally built on truths and it’s true that his faculty had “good-looking individuals” in short supply.

“Maybe you’re a model too?” Haiba pipes up, his striking green eyes prominent in the darkened bar.

“Lev, not everyone who’s tall is a model,” Morisuke tells him, nursing a pint of beer.

“No, I’m not a model,” Oikawa says, growing more amused at the flow of this conversation. “I take it you are?”

“Yup! I part-time for Nekoma,” he offers enthusiastically.

“You all need to stop giving him subtle compliments,” Iwaizumi interjects. “It’ll get to his head.”

“Compliments are good sometimes!” Haiba helps him to say. “Right Yaku-san?”

He stares at Morisuke with eager eyes, barely containing a grin. It reminds Oikawa of a large puppy that waits in thrumming patience for praises and treats.

“Don’t look at me,” Morisuke says, unwilling to patronize Haiba.

“So Iwaizumi,” Terushima jumps in, leaning his elbow against the table-top and wriggling his eyebrows at his co-worker. “What’s it like to be back in the dating game? You’ve been out of it so long.”

Iwaizumi would have preferred if he didn’t tack on that last sentence but he’s too bothered trying to come up with an adequate response to his question because he’s not back in the dating game at all.

But _if_ he were back and _if_ he were dating Oikawa, he imagines it would be refreshing. Oikawa’s not like anyone he’s ever dated before. He fits the bill of the “school prince” troupe but in reality, he’s just a dork who’s unapologetic about his choices. He’s said it before, and he’ll say it again, Oikawa is an attractive guy. If he divulges these, he won’t be lying, but isn’t lying what they’re supposed to do? Iwaizumi’s about to suffer from an aneurysm from thinking too hard about this.

“It’s—none of your business,” he evades, cheeks dusted pink.

“That good huh,” Sawamura jokes.

“Sawamura!” Iwaizumi calls out, feeling betrayed. He expected him to be on the “let’s not all tease Iwaizumi” side.

Misaki snickers, “So Iwaizumi-kun gets easily flustered when he talks about stuff like these.”

“It’s like a different person from the one we know at work,” Terushima points out, entertained.

“Oh?” Oikawa says, throwing Iwaizumi an impish smirk. “The Iwa-chan I know is always violent. What’s the Iwa-chan you know?”

“The _Iwa-chan_ we know,” Terushima delights in emphasizing his nickname and Iwaizumi was hoping the regret wouldn’t sink in so early into the night. But unexpectedly, Terushima continues, “Is the guy to go to when you’re in a pinch. He always knows what to do.”

Terushima puts his hand at the side of his mouth to whisper not so discreetly at Oikawa, “But yeah—he can be pretty fierce sometimes.”

“I can hear you.”

“By the way,” Morisuke asks, helping himself to the karaage. “How’s it going with Kyoutani? Did you manage to get him to attend his sessions?”

“Ah I’m still working on that,” Iwaizumi answers and Oikawa detects a hint of frustration.

Intrigued, he wonders, “Who’s Kyoutani?”

“He’s one of the patients at the centre who’s got a nasty ankle injury,” Sawamura explains. “Didn’t even complete a single session when he first came here.”

“He refused to cooperate with the therapists,” Terushima supplements. “Was even hurling insults and getting violent.”

“One day Iwaizumi just had enough of that and put the guy in his place. We’re not sure what happened…but he got him to stay long enough to finish one session,” Sawamura adds, side-eyeing his friend. “Even the therapists were amazed.”

“He’s still a brat though,” Morisuke says. “Only listens to Iwaizumi. It’s progress that he stays for his sessions but we’re trying to get him to come regularly now.”

Oikawa hums in interest at their account, not surprised that he’s never heard of this before but wouldn’t mind if he could hear more of this. He turns to Iwaizumi beside him and says with an inviting tone, “Iwa-chan hardly tells me about work so I didn’t hear about this. You should tell me more. I want to know more about you.”

The seriousness with which he says that catches Iwaizumi off guard.

“Iwaizumi-kun!” Misaki cuts in. “You can’t possibly deny such a sincere request from your boyfriend.”

“You’re a good listener Iwaizumi-san,” Sugawara offers wisely. “But a big part of being in a relationship is to share too.”

“Wha—”

“You’d want to get a few words in before they start yapping away,” Morisuke interrupts. “Trust me.”

“O-kay,” Iwaizumi breathes out, pushing himself away from the table and feeling slightly attacked right now. Some space would be good. “I’m going to order a drink.”

“Let me,” Oikawa offers, settling a hand on Iwaizumi’s arm. “A Lager for you, anything that’s on tap. For the rest, round two?”

When Oikawa collects everyone’s orders, he makes his way across the dance floor and to the bar. It takes a while to make eight drinks so Oikawa waits patiently at the counter. He finds keeping up the act easier and easier. It could be that he’s getting the hang of it, it could also be that being around Iwaizumi’s friends are comfortable or it could be—

“Rough night?” he hears someone say beside him. Turning, Oikawa comes face-to-face with a dark-haired stranger, leaning casually against the counter, bottle in his hand.

The stranger tips his chin towards the space in front of Oikawa, where the bartender has already served three drinks.

“This?” Oikawa says, looking down. “It’s not all for me.”

He thought it’d be obvious. Who’d drink a Lager, cocktail and Bloody Mary together? He knows what’s going on. He’s been hit on before and if that was the guy’s opening line, Oikawa’s not impressed at all.

“I hope not. You’d wake up with one hell of a hangover tomorrow,” he jokes. “I’m Tanimura Ryo.”

Oikawa sighs internally. He can’t escape when the bartender hasn’t finished making his drinks.

“Oikawa,” he offers, choosing to omit his first name so that it’s obvious he’s not interested.

“No first name?” he probes, either missing the hint or ignoring it.

“I don’t have a first name,” Oikawa makes it clearer for him.

“So I have to earn it?” he guesses, completely misconstruing Oikawa’s statement and taking it as a challenge. He shifts on one leg to face Oikawa fully, taking the chance to step closer to him.

“No that’s not what I meant,” Oikawa says plainly, wondering if this guy’s pretending or just an idiot.

“Can I buy you a drink then?” he offers. He flashes a smile at Oikawa, showing off his white teeth. Objectively, he’s not that bad-looking, with a crew cut, broad shoulders and good height. But Oikawa’s…simply not interested.

“No thanks. I’m with some friends.”

“So am I,” he says positively. “We could share a table.”

Okay, now Oikawa was getting annoyed and certain that the stranger is deliberately ignoring his hints.

“I don’t think…”

“Oikawa, what’s taking so long?”

Iwaizumi appears beside him, a crease between his eyebrows.

“Iwa-chan, I literally just got here,” Oikawa tells him because it’s ridiculous if he thought eight drinks could be prepared so quickly. “The bartender doesn’t—”

“I’m helping,” Iwaizumi cuts him off vaguely, reaching out to hold Oikawa’s wrist, a silent indication that he’s here to get rid of the unwanted presence.

“Oh.”

Iwaizumi’s fingers are pressed lightly against the inside of his wrist and Oikawa hopes the spike in his pulse goes unnoticed.

“Were you guys talking?” Iwaizumi asks, regarding the stranger with a neutral expression. His hand falls away from Oikawa, who swallows.

“Oh yeah. This is—um…”

He couldn’t even remember the guy’s name.

“Tanimura Ryo,” he repeats and turns his attention back to Oikawa. “So how about that drink?

Oikawa almost hangs his mouth open in disbelief.

“Sorry, he’ll have to decline,” Iwaizumi says on his behalf.

“You speak for him?”

“I hope so. He’s with me.”

Oikawa watches wordlessly as the two men face each other, neither backing down from what they set out to do. The stranger is taller but Iwaizumi has an uncanny ability to make one think twice about their actions with an unreadable expression. The air is growing tense and Oikawa’s beginning to feel awkward so it’s timely that the bartender comes over with another drink.

“Our drinks are here,” he announces and says to the stranger, “Thanks for the offer, but no thanks.”

Turning away, Oikawa idly fixes the drinks on the tray and heaves a sigh of relief when the stranger finally slinks away, acknowledging that tonight’s not his lucky night. Iwaizumi watches him go for good measure and joins Oikawa.

“We’re still missing two,” he points out when he only counts six drinks.

“Yeah I know. I just wanted him to go away. He’s very persistent.”

“Wouldn’t you know,” Iwaizumi taunts.

“I was going to say thanks but for the record, I could have dealt with him myself.”

He shoots him a haughty expression and Iwaizumi scoffs. “I don’t doubt that. But I wasn’t about to wait for my drink longer than I have to.”

“You don’t doubt it?” Oikawa chooses to pursue that line of thought. “Why not?”

Iwaizumi narrows his eyes at him. “Is this your way of getting me to say you’re good-looking enough to have your fair share of pick-ups?

“No but thank you for your honesty,” he laughs. “Don’t you experience these things too?”

“Picking up or getting picked up?”

“You tell me,” he prompts, interested.

“I don’t go to these places very often in the first place,” Iwaizumi answers evasively.

“Really,” Oikawa asks rhetorically. Iwaizumi takes a swig of his beer as he waits for the last two drinks to be ready. It’s true that he could have shut down the stranger’s advances on his own but he’d admit having Iwaizumi there was satisfying. How could he play the role of a protective boyfriend so effortlessly? Oikawa gives him credit for doing it so naturally and respectfully.

He had touched him and it felt different from his other touches—the grip to help him up their hike, the shoulder massage, the fake hand-holding. For one, it was tenderer, for another, it sent a jolt through Oikawa’s chest. He wonders if he intervened because he saw him in a pickle or because his friends made him do it. He wonders many things about Iwaizumi, he notices.

“I realize that there are still a lot of things I barely know about you.”

“Like?” Iwaizumi probes, puzzled over the sudden statement.

Oikawa shrugs and keeps his voice casual. “Like why’d you choose to specialize in sports injury? Like what are you like with the patients at work? Are you always stern with them or do you have your soft-hearted moments with them? Like what else do you do besides hike and not go to places like these?”

“Why are you such a busybody?” Iwaizumi throws a question back. Oikawa shouldn’t be surprised at the defensiveness but the twinge of disappointment is undeniable.

“What’s wrong with wanting to know more about my friends?” Oikawa retorts, masking his feelings with nonchalance.

“I feel like it’s never that simple with you,” Iwaizumi says with a knowing glance and a half-smile, thanking the bartender for serving the last of their drinks and unaware of how that further messes with Oikawa’s head (and heart). “Come on.”

* * *

They hang out pretty regularly after that. Oikawa texts Iwaizumi like they’re best buds and their conversation topics range from pretty serious (like how to game the university’s ballot system) to downright trivial stuff (like who would win – Godzilla or King Kong). On days when their schedules sync up and they both have the afternoon off, they’d find themselves in the school library studying and finishing their assignments or running errands together (Oikawa would make excuses to go grocery shopping when Iwaizumi said he needed to, although he wasn’t on grocery duty at all).

The night with Iwaizumi’s co-workers and their plus ones was a success. Everyone bought their whole “we’re dating” act and even egged Iwaizumi to invite Oikawa for subsequent meet-ups, which he must figure a way to deflect. It would be easy though, to agree and simply put on their persona, since they’re already keeping in touch often enough. After all, Oikawa sometimes asks Iwaizumi what time his classes end and will be waiting for him outside his lecture hall or classroom that the latter has become used to it. Today was the same.

“Iwa-chan!!!”

The sports science student stumbles forward a bit when Oikawa practically charges into him and hooks his arm around his elbow with great vigour.

“Can’t you say ‘hi’ like a normal person?” he asks coolly, since he knows Oikawa is anything but normal (for example, he’s extremely smart, unfairly good-looking, unbelievably dorky and exceedingly clingy).

“How was class?” Oikawa asks conversationally, keeping their arms linked but not leaning into Iwaizumi as much.

“Mizoguchi was ranting about how millennials these days were too laid-back,” Iwaizumi recounts dispassionately. “What’s new.”

Oikawa laughs lightly; he liked it when Iwaizumi shared mundane things about school or work because it showed him a little bit of Iwaizumi’s different sides. Iwaizumi is not always brusque, he could speak in the softest tones and touch in the gentlest ways. He is not always serious for he has his child-like moments. He does not always act maturely for he could be mean when he wanted to. And Oikawa’s not ashamed to admit that he enjoyed collecting these nuggets of information.

“How did you do on your assignment?”

“Mizoguchi hasn’t graded them yet,” Iwaizumi tells him and then regards Oikawa thoughtfully. “What’s up?”

He knows he didn’t look him up for no reason. Oikawa releases his hold on Iwaizumi’s arm and adjusts the bag strap on his shoulder.

“There’s going to be another Pop-Up Cinema screening,” Oikawa says ambiguously, studying Iwaizumi’s reaction to it.

“What’s Pop-Up Cinema?”

“It’s that—!” he starts, flabbergasted that he didn’t have a clue to what it was when it’s a quarterly occurrence on campus. “That—the movie screenings that happen on campus every quarter! It’s basically like the movie-under-the-stars concept except they’re positioning it differently. The Film Society organizes them and they usually screen old movies as part of an appreciation movement.”

“Oh, what about it?”

He doesn’t keep up with campus events, given that school and his part-time job take up most of his waking hours.

“So guess what they’re screening this week!” Oikawa asks, caramel eyes growing large with excitement.

“Uhh…Seven Samurai?” Iwaizumi guesses. It’s the most famous old movie he knows.

“Not that old.”

“The Ring?”

“Iwa-chan, they’re not going to screen a horror movie in Okuma Garden. It’s supposed to evoke feelings of nostalgia and appreciation.”

“I appreciate old horror movies,” he retorts and when Oikawa shoots him an exasperated look, he surrenders, “Okay, I don’t know. What movie?”

“Godzilla!” Oikawa reveals, hoping Iwaizumi’s expression would mirror his, which is one of eagerness.

“Huh,” he says instead, mildly interested. He loves the Godzilla movie franchise, but not all of it. “Which movie is it?”

“The Return of Godzilla,” Oikawa informs him, taking the lacklustre reaction in his stride.

That was the first movie of the Heisei period and Iwaizumi must say, he quite enjoyed that one.

“Do you wanna go?” the astronomy students asks, sounding hopeful.

“Since when did you like Godzilla?” Iwaizumi eyes him carefully.

“I don’t. But you do.”

It’s a simple statement, but it stirs something in Iwaizumi’s chest. Because plain as it is, it hides a world of emotions behind the words. It’s too considerate, too affectionate and yet Oikawa utters it like it’s the most natural thing. Which is something Iwaizumi can’t wrap his head around, because there’s no one to act like they’re a couple for; there’s no reason to speak like they’re partners, no impetus to pretend they’re lovers. Iwaizumi doesn’t really know what Oikawa expects from inviting him to this…occasion (‘date’ was the first word that came to mind) and he doesn’t forget that they’re not dating.

He wonders if Oikawa and he are on the same wavelength here.

“You know we’re not actually together right?” Iwaizumi asks tentatively, just to gauge his response.

The question comes as a surprise but Oikawa recovers quickly, “Of course I know that.”

He manages to conceal his disappointment because face it, he would be. If there’s anything he learnt from pretending to date Iwaizumi was that time spent with him was time well-spent. They click well, Iwaizumi puts up with his antics and Oikawa has never felt so comfortable in his own skin than he has with others. So yeah, maybe he likes Iwaizumi a tad too much and more than he wanted to admit, so sue him for jumping at any opportunity to hang out with him. It provided Oikawa with great company and was something Iwaizumi was interested in – a win-win situation. Oikawa would be sorry if it falls through.

“So you don’t have to do the things that I like, if you don’t like them.”

“It’s not that I _dislike_ the Godzilla movies,” he explains. “I just thought if you’re free on Friday night, we could just hang out. We don’t have to be dating to do that. And I’m giving you a chance to convert me to a Godzilla fan and you’re not saying yes immediately? I’m shocked.”

“Ha-ha,” Iwaizumi says wryly, feeling stupid for over-analyzing this if Oikawa could easily brush it off with a joke. To be honest, a movie on Friday night sounds perfect. He would have agreed even if it wasn’t Godzilla. “I’m free.”

“So you’ll go?” Oikawa asks, not expecting him to say yes so abruptly.

“Yes Idiotkawa,” he chuckles. A smile returns to Oikawa’s face, showing itself in the rise of his eyebrows and the swell of his cheeks. Iwaizumi looks pleased himself, as if he could ever turn down a chance to catch Godzilla with a delightful companion. It gives Oikawa an urge to tease him.

“It’s true we’re not dating but admit it Iwa-chan. You like hanging out with me.”

“Yeah yeah, whatever,” he says airily, turning around a corner. “Text me the details, I gotta meet my project teammates now.”

He could have texted Iwaizumi from the start, but having that short exchange and watching the hood of Iwaizumi’s jacket bounce up and down as he jogs to his next destination makes Oikawa feel strangely fulfilled.

He sends him the e-flyer later that evening, when he’s back in his apartment.

 ** _You:_** _[image sent]  
**Iwa-chan <3:** got it  
**Iwa-chan <3:** wait a min  
**Iwa-chan <3:** return of godzilla came out in 1954  
**Iwa-chan <3:** it’s the same year seven samurai was released  
**Iwa-chan <3: **and you still told me it’s not that old  
**You:** oh oops (_ _／≧ω＼)_  
**Iwa-chan <3: **noob

* * *

It’s true.

Iwaizumi does like hanging out with Oikawa. Otherwise, he would not be waiting at one of the tables near his classroom for him to finish class. The astronomy student had asked for his help in picking out a new tablet as his had decided to die on him after serving him for a few years. He claimed that Iwaizumi was better at “this sort of stuff” than he was and needed his expertise so that he won’t get scammed by glib salespeople, exorbitant prices or be duped over the lure of aesthetics over functionality. Iwaizumi thinks he’s lazy to do his research properly.

In any case, he didn’t find any compelling reason to reject so here he is, earlier than he thought. Iwaizumi fiddles with his phone while he waits, remembering to inform Hanamaki and Matsukawa that he probably will not be going home for dinner today. Just as he hits the send button, he notices someone petite walking towards his table.

Looking up, he meets a familiar face, her blonde hair tied in a small side ponytail.

“Hello Iwaizumi-senpai,” she greets amiably, an iPad in her hands.

“Hey Yachi,” he greets. Yachi Hitoka is a fellow sports science and management student. She’s a year his junior but they got acquainted when Iwaizumi helped set up the annual publicity day for their faculty’s club, which she was a member in. They’d pass by each other a few times over the semester and Yachi would always wear her cheerful expression and say hi to him.

“I’m sorry for disturbing you,” she says sheepishly. “But if you’ve got some time now, I was wondering if you’d mind completing a survey for me? It’s for my project!”

“Sure. I’m waiting for someone anyway.”

“Thank you!” she chirps and seats herself across him, turning the iPad towards him. “It’s for my Sports Marketing and Sponsorship course. We’re surveying people on how various factors affect the success of sports marketing campaigns.”

“Oh this one,” Iwaizumi recalls taking this module. “Wasn’t my strong suit.”

Yachi giggles softly. “Iwaizumi-senpai specializes in sports injuries right?”

“Yup,” he answers. The survey questions are rather straightforward for now, so he manages to multi-task. “I prefer more direct engagement with athletes. But you like this track right? If I remember correctly, you’re in the publications team for our faculty club.”

“Yes! I’d like to specialize in that next year.”

“I’m sure you’ll do well.”

“Ah…I’ve got a long way to go,” she replies modestly. Yachi lets Iwaizumi finish the rest of the survey in companionable silence. It’s a short one so he reaches the last page in five minutes, which asks for some demographic data.

“We won’t ask for your name,” Yachi informs him, peeking at the screen of the iPad. “But we’d like to collect some demographic information so that we can attribute some of the results to certain segments of people.”

“No problem,” he says, selecting the options easily.

He’s almost down to the last question until Yachi suddenly interjects, “You’re single?”

She tilts her head in a cute way, surprise settling on her features.

“Huh?”

Yachi seems to realize the intrusiveness of her question and she flails her hands around, flustered. “Ah—I’m sorry! You picked ‘single’ for that question but I’ve seen you with the tall person…Oikawa something? People say you’re together so I thought you’re in a relationship—maybe I’m mistaken or—”

Something dire crosses her face and she widens her eyes in astonishment, her whole face flaming.

“Oh my gosh I’m so sorry! I don’t mean to be rude! Please answer the question however you like and ignore me.”

Iwaizumi holds back an amused laugh and watches her hang her head in shame with an understanding smile. He hadn’t even realized he checked the ‘single’ option. News really do travel fast. He wasn’t aware that other people assumed he was dating Oikawa but given the time he spends with him despite not being a student of this faculty, Iwaizumi can’t blame them.

“It’s fine,” he assures and considers telling her the truth. He notes how genuinely apologetic she is (she probably thought they had broken up) and decides she doesn’t need to be lied to. “Actually…Oikawa and I were never dating at all.”

That makes her snap her head up, round eyes growing rounder. “Eh?”

Awkward because this is the first time he’s admitting it to someone else, Iwaizumi looks away as he answers, “We were fake dating.”

“Ehhhh???”

“My friends played a prank on me and put up flyers advertising me as a rentable boyfriend for the new year’s,” Iwaizumi explains. “Oikawa saw it and basically forced me to agree to fake date him so that his family will stop bugging him about getting into a relationship.”

“That’s a very…21st century thing to do,” Yachi opines after she lets the truth sink in.

“I know…I got myself into a weird situation.”

He expected her to comment more on the ridiculousness of his story. After all, it’s not every day you hear someone in a fake relationship because their face was hung up on the bulletin board. When he studies her, Yachi wears a thoughtful expression.

“Iwaizumi-senpai is a good actor,” she comments without preamble, still a little lost in her thoughts.

It’s Iwaizumi’s turn to be taken aback.

“Am I?”

He always thought he lacked talent in the arts and was not a natural liar. To hear her call him a good actor seemed counter-intuitive. Had he been very convincing? It troubled him slightly, because what if it meant he did have some skills in the art of deception? It was not a skill to be proud of, he thought. Perhaps Oikawa was the one carrying their act. That would make more sense, since he didn’t feel like he was lying very much. He just went with the flow.

“Even now, you’re waiting for him right?” she points out. It wasn’t hard to deduce, since they’re not in their own faculty and Iwaizumi did say he was waiting for someone. He must be quite committed to the act if he’s still doing it without an audience.

“I guess…”

“It’s okay,” Yachi adds hastily and smiles blithely at him, not wanting to overstep her boundaries. “Don’t mind me.”

She didn’t mean to plant a seed of doubt with that statement. It was merely an observation. But when she sensed his puzzlement, it dawned on her that Iwaizumi probably didn’t realize that there could be some truth in all that pretence. If he thinks he’s not a good actor, then anything that seems natural and persuasive must be real. Yachi knows it’s not her place to pry any further so she leaves it at that.

“Anyway, thank you for doing my survey!” she says gratefully and Iwaizumi hands her the iPad.

“Yeah, no problem.”

“Have a good day Iwaizumi-senpai!”

She leaves him with a wave and Iwaizumi appreciates that Oikawa’s class ends not long after.

He doesn’t think about the exchange with Yachi during their not-date, and Oikawa successfully purchases a new tablet, although Iwaizumi had to physically pull him away from the stylish new phone models, eye-catching gadgets and very enticing telescopes on a few occasions. Iwaizumi did take the opportunity to browse through the smart watches on display, still undecided over whether he should purchase one or not. They’d make a cheaper alternative to those designed for outdoor conditions.

They finish their business quite quickly but Oikawa refuses to return to his apartment, insisting that they’ve got the rest of the day to relax. He drags Iwaizumi to the arcade, to random stores along the street and finally to dinner. It’s only until the sky has blackened that Oikawa agrees to go their separate ways, stomach and heart full from a day out with the person he likes.

The walk to the nearest train station is interspersed with their usual light banter and the occasional sniffle from Oikawa, who despite it being in the middle of winter, neglected to bring a scarf out.

“You okay?” Iwaizumi asks, eyeing him with a crease in his forehead when Oikawa lets out a particularly violent sneeze.

“Uh huh,” he nods weakly. It’s gotten considerably colder since night fell. On normal days, Oikawa wouldn’t mind not having his scarf but they have been outdoors for a good part of today so he’s regretting the lack of foresight now.

He inhales sharply to stop his nose from running, oblivious to Iwaizumi taking off his own scarf. Before he knows it, Iwaizumi stops them and Oikawa finds a bunch of warm fabric wrapped around his neck. He looks up, startled, as Iwaizumi adjusts his scarf to snugly cover Oikawa’s skin.

“I’ll let you borrow it for a while,” he murmurs, meeting his gaze only to avert it a second later.

Oikawa’s speechless for a while, blinking dumbly at Iwaizumi and uncertain if the redness of his cheeks are a result of the cold or something else.

“Iwa-chan is bad at tying scarfs,” he comments, because besides the blush, he notices that Iwaizumi hadn’t bothered to tie it in any style. He literally just wrapped it round and round his neck.

“I can take it back,” he threatens mildly.

“No!” Oikawa exclaims, taking his supposedly placidness for real. He clutches the grey scarf around his neck and hides his chin underneath the cloth, prepared to take on Iwaizumi if he dares to remove it from his person. It’s warm and it smells like Iwa-chan.

“Come on, I’ll send you home.”

Oikawa doesn’t argue with that. More time with Iwa-chan for him.

When Iwaizumi said he’ll send him home, Oikawa thought he meant to the station by his share house. But when they arrived at the stop, he alighted the train with him and was about to tap his PASMO card at the gantry.

“Iwa-chan, really,” Oikawa insists to no avail. “I can walk back by myself from here.”

“Shut up,” he says with no bite. “I said I’ll send you home. Besides, I want my scarf back.”

That makes Oikawa relent and for the rest of the short walk to his apartment, he doesn’t say much, too preoccupied with how intimate this feels. It’s purely a walk, but Iwaizumi has no obligations to send Oikawa home, and he certainly has no business offering his scarf in such a wordless and tender gesture. Oikawa’s heart is racing and he feels like a love-struck fool.

“This is me,” he says as they stop in front of a five-story building, yellow lights dim in the corridors. He realizes it’s the first time he’s brought Iwaizumi to his apartment. It’s not inside, but it counts for something.

“Okay.”

Iwaizumi wasn’t serious when he said he wanted his scarf back but Oikawa was already unwrapping it around his neck so he keeps quiet about it.

“Thank you,” Oikawa says with a tiny smile, returning the scarf to Iwaizumi.

“No problem.”

He’s usually not this reticent when he’s with Oikawa, but somehow, talking too much now seems like it would spoil the moment.

“Iwa-chan is really unfair,” he mutters and Iwaizumi cocks his head quizzically. It’s genuinely innocent and that’s what makes Oikawa’s chest tighten in part-exasperation, part-endearment.

“You’re such a good fake-boyfriend,” he continues, pulling his lip between his teeth. “Makes me feel that whoever you’re real boyfriends with is a lucky person.”

In the dull lights of Tokyo’s alleys, Iwaizumi is enraptured by how much Oikawa’s cinnamon-coloured eyes stand out in the shadows of his face. His gaze is sharp but he looks vulnerable, like he’s hiding secrets he wishes he could better keep. This is the closest he’ll get to him, but he will see those eyes again in his dreams tonight.

Yachi had said that he was a good actor, to be so true in his charade. But he gives his free time to Oikawa because he enjoys his companionship, playful jibes and pompousness and all. He offers his scarf and walks his home because he wants to, simple as that. There was no contract to abide by, no reward waiting at the end of it, no audience to act for. So maybe it wasn’t that he’s a good actor, but that he wasn’t acting at all.

* * *

Oikawa Tooru is a real piece of work.

“Iwa-chan?”

“It’s Iwaizumi. But yeah.”

“Thanks for coming over to get Oikawa,” the stranger says with a sheepish grin, leading Iwaizumi into the apartment, where the sound of people chattering and laughing could be heard. “He’s such a lightweight but he still insists on going for the heavy drinks. It’s barely eleven and he’s too drunk to join in the card games later. But you know how he is, he’ll still want to play and probably sabotage everyone.”

Iwaizumi wouldn’t put it past him to do that. To help everyone avoid that, he finds himself in this stranger’s apartment to pick the drunk idiot up. He had been studying when a call broke his concentration and Oikawa’s saccharinely sweet voice assaults his ears. He was already inebriated that time, calling Iwaizumi for no good reason and talking nonsensically about how “Nami-kun” was planning a trip to see the Northern Lights ( _“the Northern Lights!”_ he had yelled). He didn’t even know who Nami-kun was but with some guesswork, he reckoned Oikawa was at a get-together with some friends in his faculty.

Amidst the rambling and Iwaizumi’s futile attempts to hang up, a sudden crash and loud thud cut their conversation short and the following cacophony of voices from Oikawa’s end kind of worried him. After calling out his name a few times, someone picked up the line but it wasn’t Oikawa anymore. Probably, it was the person that opened the door for him just now. Informing Iwaizumi that Oikawa had, in his stupor, clumsily crashed into the coffee table and hit his head against the sofa leg, their conversation concluded with Iwaizumi offering to bring the troublemaker home.

“Is he okay?”

“Yeah he’s totally fine,” the stranger tells him with a dismissive wave. “It was just a small accident. He’s still blabbering about the most random things.”

“That’s good to hear,” he says with relief. “I’ll take him off your hands.”

The stranger glances at him tentatively. “So are you two—”

“Iwa-chan!!!”

Upon entering the living room, Iwaizumi receives an armful of Oikawa, who he needs to physically extricate himself from.

“You finally joined us!!” he exclaims and swivels to his friends as he clings on to Iwaizumi’s arm. When he speaks again, his words are punctuated with hiccups. “Everyone! This is—is Iwa-chan! He’s my—we’re like… _together_ …but not together—you know?”

Obviously, no one knows what he’s talking about and Iwaizumi feels his face heat up with all eyes on him. There are like five other people in the room, sporting expressions from curious to confused to entertained.

“Okay, we’re going home,” Iwaizumi announces and hastily picks up Oikawa’s coat, herding him out. Before anyone can probe, Iwaizumi departs with a cordial, “Thanks for taking care of this idiot. Good night.”

Oikawa had better pay for this cab fare. It’s morbidly expensive to take the cab in Tokyo and the whole ride Iwaizumi was afraid he’d throw up in the car. Even when he survived the ride with no casualties, it was a damn chore to bring Oikawa up to his unit while having to support half his weight.

After what seemed like a frustratingly lengthy attempt to firstly key in the correct door code, secondly remove his shoes while he sways about and thirdly, stagger to his room, Iwaizumi unceremoniously dumps all 72kg of Oikawa onto his bed.

The insufferable space nerd makes no effort to take off his coat and lays on his bed like a dead slug, provoking a sigh of resignation from Iwaizumi. Well, he volunteered to do this. Might as well do it right and call it a night.

Bending over, Iwaizumi frees Oikawa from his coat, ignoring the incoherent mumbling at his ear. He can smell the alcohol at this proximity.

“Iwa-chan is so nice,” he mutters, eyes half-opened and a dazed smile on his lips. He has quietened since the ride home, the alcohol clouding his brain and making him drowsy.

“How’s your head?” Iwaizumi asks instead, choosing not to respond to the statement.

“There’s nothing wrong with my head.”

The innocence that accompanied the declaration makes Iwaizumi want to a punch a wall to release some of that pent-up urge. Since Oikawa was clearly not in the right state to make judgements on his condition, Iwaizumi takes it upon himself to press his fingers around Oikawa’s head, searching out bumps or cuts. When he doesn’t find any (fortunately), he lowers his head gently onto the pillow.

Iwaizumi has no intention of undressing Oikawa and changing him into a new set of clothes but he does help him shuck off his sweater to keep him cool after all that alcohol burning in his blood. He makes sure he is in relative comfort before bending down at his bedside, brushing his hair away to settle the back of his palm on his forehead. He’s warm but that’s just the alcohol.

His work here done, Iwaizumi tells him softly—in case he has fallen asleep—“I’m going off now.”

But Oikawa keeps him in his room with an equally hushed, “You know…”

“Yeah?”

Oikawa’s half-opened eyes are dark and alluring but hide a hint of shyness and Iwaizumi can’t look away.

“The rent-a-bae package included a kiss.”

Iwaizumi sucks in a quiet breath, searching Oikawa’s eyes for that familiar glint of mischievousness, something to tell him that he’s joking, but all he finds is a glimmer of hope. He’s impressed he even remembers what the package included. It’s easy to grant him that much, Iwaizumi thinks, but he was never one to take the path of convenience. It would be meaningless to kiss him in his condition anyway because (a) it could be the alcohol talking and (b) he might forget about this in the morning.

“I’m not—I’m not going to kiss you,” Iwaizumi tells him gently.

“Why not?”

“You’re drunk.”

Oikawa’s pout turns into a smile of resignation. “Such a gentleman, Iwa-chan.”

He should have known that Iwaizumi was too principled to so much as kiss him while he’s under the influence of alcohol. And simply because he is, he doesn’t think twice about crossing lines.

“Would you kiss me if I were sober then?”

It scares Iwaizumi how fast his mind supplies with a ‘yes’.

It’s also a startlingly lucid question that for a split second, he doubted if Oikawa was truly intoxicated. But he recognized his tone as one of genuine curiosity. Oikawa was always playing games with him…but Iwaizumi doesn’t mind playing along this time.

“If you remember this in the morning, I might,” he teases with a half-smile.

“Unfair,” Oikawa smiles back, gradually losing himself to the drowsiness. The only thing he’ll wake up with is a hangover and fuzzy memories that he’d wave off as a dream.

“Exactly.”

“Stingy…”

His head lolls to the side, finally knocked out. Iwaizumi chuckles to himself, thinking how much of a handful Oikawa Tooru is. Yet, funnily, he finds himself taking care of him willingly and unwaveringly.

“Goodnight,” he whispers, brushing the hair out of his face with a gentle finger.

When he closes the door and turns to leave, Iwaizumi almost jumps at the sight of a tall stranger leaning against the kitchen countertop, a bitten apple in his hand.

“Hi,” he says coolly, like it doesn’t faze him to see a complete stranger stepping out of his housemate’s room.

“Hi,” Iwaizumi says cautiously. He detects a barely-there smirk and he’s not sure he likes it.

“I’m Kuroo,” the person eventually introduces after an awkward pause where Iwaizumi was wondering if it would be too rude to say ‘bye’.

“Ah.”

“You know me?” he asks when he hears the recognition in his voice.

Iwaizumi makes a circular gesture with his finger, like he’s recollecting something, “The one with the Tinder profile.”

Kuroo, the black-haired housemate who looks like he just woke up from a nap, puts on a matter-of-fact expression and remedies, “Okay I’m not the only one in this house with a Tinder profile but yeah.”

The sports science student hopes Kuroo was referring to the fourth and last housemate (Bokuto or something?). He’d be sorely disappointed if it was Oikawa and utterly appalled if it was Sugawara.

“Looks like our friend there enjoyed himself tonight,” Kuroo comments.

“Yeah…” is Iwaizumi’s cursory reply. “He had a few drinks too many, got a bit tipsy and hit his head. So I brought him back.”

“He okay?”

“Nothing major,” Iwaizumi says and adds, “Do you mind uh—getting some aspirin and water for him later?”

“Sure I can.”

“Thanks, I better get going,” he excuses himself, not wanting to prolong this conversation. It feels rather contrived to him. Kuroo appears like he has something to say about this scenario but expects Iwaizumi to figure it out from his smug minute smiles and deliberately casual speech. But Iwaizumi preferred to talk without all the guessing games and potential misunderstandings.

“You’re a decent guy Iwaizumi,” Kuroo tells him as he steps away from Oikawa’s door. The statement itself takes him aback more so than the abruptness of it. Kuroo shrugs, “You could have brought him to your place.”

Firstly, it’s bizarre he would say something so brazen to someone he just met that Iwaizumi forgets the fact that he didn’t give Kuroo his name. Secondly and more importantly, he was under the impression that Oikawa must have lied to his housemates about dating him, since he was so hung up about keeping up the act in front of Sugawara. Kuroo must have known the dating thing was fake, if he thought Iwaizumi was being respectful not to bring him home when he was drunk.

Because if they were boyfriends, it shouldn’t matter as much. Right?

It seems Kuroo can see the cogs turning in Iwaizumi’s brain and he decides to help him out, his first demonstration of genuineness for the night, “I know the dating thing is a ruse. I can tell when my housemates are hiding something and it takes a tiny bit of wheedling to get the truth out of him.”

This guy is a sneaky one, Iwaizumi thinks.

“No one would know if you brought him to your place.”

“He’s my friend,” Iwaizumi tells him with a frown. It never crossed his mind to take advantage of the situation like that.

“Just a friend?”

The way he arches an eyebrow and waits patiently for a response tell Iwaizumi that this is what the conversation has been leading up to. But Iwaizumi has some doubts about the facts surrounding this case that he doesn’t think he can give Kuroo the answer he expects. Or rather, Kuroo already seems to know a couple more things that Iwaizumi doesn’t.

“Did Oikawa tell you something?” he questions, narrowing his eyes at him.

“It’s pretty obvious,” Kuroo says cryptically. When he was interrogating Oikawa, the guy didn’t even need much coaxing to reveal that he likes Iwaizumi way beyond the boundaries of their fake relationship and ensuing friendship.

“What’s obvious?”

Iwaizumi’s as honest as how Oikawa made him out to be. Kuroo supposes his denseness is a side-effect. He also reckons he’s messed around enough for tonight. He might be a tease, but he knows some limits are not his to cross.

So he makes his way back to his room with a laid-back wave and leaves Iwaizumi with a final (and still cryptic), “I’ll let you figure that one out yourself. ‘Night.”

Iwaizumi carries the quiet chaos it creates all the way home.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Iwa-chan just can't catch a break...


	4. not just for the weekend

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Finally, the fateful conclusion...it's a pity I couldn't show more of the little events and character interactions (like the movie under the stars and their interactions with kuroo, yachi etc.) because i was trying to get the story moving along by writing about major events. well at least the meme team makes an appearance here!

The lights are still on when Iwaizumi steps into his shared apartment. He leaves his keys on the shoe cabinet by their entranceway, padding his way to the living room where he can hear his housemates playing the PS4 from.

“Welcome back,” Matsukawa says without taking his eyes off the television screen.

Hanamaki twists his neck to face Iwaizumi, throwing an arm over their couch and neglecting the game, which forces Matsukawa to pull up the main menu.

“I was half expecting you not to come home tonight,” Hanamaki says offhandedly, eyes following Iwaizumi as he walks to the kitchen to pour himself a glass of milk.

“Why?” he asks before realizing that he’s walked right into Hanamaki’s trap.

“He thought you went to answer a booty call,” Matsukawa offers.

The glass of milk stops halfway to Iwaizumi’s lips. He shoots them a deadpan expression. “Seriously?”

“Was I wrong?” Hanamaki needles. “I mean, you were with Oikawa right?”

“I sent him home!” Iwaizumi clarifies, regretting how defensive he sounded. It’s not exactly helping his case. He adds more evenly, “He was drunk at some friend’s house and hit his head so I brought him back to his apartment. That’s all.”

There’s a bout of silence as his housemates share a knowing glance. Iwaizumi might have gallantly escorted an inebriated friend home but that was obviously not all. Matsukawa and Hanamaki have been privy to the entire fake dating episode, being the ones who started it of course. Iwaizumi had given them a piece of his mind for pulling the prank but it was all bark and no bite. No one was hurt and because it wasn’t even half as bad as he expected, he didn’t harp on it after that weekend and certainly not after the free stay at the hot springs hotel.

“Seems a bit much if you’re not exactly dating don’t you think?” Hanamaki remarks, squinting at Iwaizumi. What’s up with having to decipher cryptic messages today?

“We’re friends.”

It’s the second time he’s saying this and Iwaizumi’s starting to question if the world was conspiring against him.

“Like friends?” Matsukawa repeats, allowing a short pause to pin the unassuming college student with a suggestive flicker in his sharp eyes. “Or _friends_?”

“I don’t even know what that means.”

Hanamaki shuffles on the couch to turn fully towards him.

“Let me spell it out for you Iwaizumi,” he begins. He speaks in such a level-headed and patient manner that it’s unsettling. “What we’re saying is that you’re too invested in this fake relationship thing to be fake. So either it’s real or you’re getting something out of it.”

“Like sex.”

Sometimes Iwaizumi wonders why he ever agreed to share an apartment to with these two. Sure, they’ve known each other since high school and yes, the rent is cheaper, but was it worth it if it meant subjecting himself to bad jokes, juvenile pranks and crude remarks on a regular basis? He’ll have to archive this for further assessment but he’s dangerously close to checking yes right now.

“We’re not sleeping together,” he tells them with as much composure as he can muster. He’s not able to stop the heat creeping up his neck though. It shows.

“Ah,” Matsukawa lets out, expression flat and tone even flatter. There’s not much reaction to something you already expect after all.

“You like him,” Hanamaki points out.

The lack of reply, together with the avoiding eyes—now that was something more enlightening.

“You’re in love with him,” he corrects, sounding amazed at how serious something so trivial turned out to be. For Iwaizumi to be rendered speechless, he must be in really deep.

“Shut up.”

It’s not because Hanamaki was wrong. It’s exactly because he was right that Iwaizumi didn’t want it said out loud. He’s known this somewhere in the back of his mind, in the recesses of his heart, and it’s more than a little mortifying for someone to say it aloud to make him acknowledge it in its entirety.

“No,” Hanamaki insists, suddenly all ardent about the matter, which Iwaizumi wishes he wouldn’t be because all he wants to do right now is shelve it to a corner and maybe figure it out himself when he’s alone and clear-headed. “We started this so we’re going to help you through it.”

“That is very unnecessary,” Iwaizumi says wearily.

“Who knew the one prank we spent the least effort for turned out to have such great consequences?” Matsukawa smirks, ignoring his friend.

“This is like straight out of a manga,” Hanamaki adds and imagines the title splashed across some clichéd manga, “Fake relationship but not-so-fake feelings.”

“I need better friends,” Iwaizumi says to practically himself.

“What are you talking about? This is fate and we’re the enablers.”

Hanamaki looks way too proud of himself, like he bestowed upon his housemate some quotable line, albeit unsolicited. Iwaizumi stares at them impassively. He is not going to deal with this. There’s enough to sort out as it is.

“I’m going to bed.”

“You’re just running away from the issue Iwaizumi,” he taunts as he makes his way down the hallway to the safety of his bedroom.

“Very un-Iwaizumi of you might I add,” Matsukawa calls after him.

“You like the guy for real so why aren’t you doing anything about it?” Hanamaki challenges, trying to get a rise out of him.

It works, for the sports science student whirls to grit out, “Because—”

He can’t manage an actual reply, at least not anything he can believe in. He doesn’t even buy his so-called ‘we’re friends’ excuse anymore.

Hanamaki snatches the chance to completely obliterate any attempts to make more excuses. “Whatever doubts you have about this, you’re fooling no one but yourself Iwaizumi.”

Despite the jokers they are, his housemates do dish out legit advice and make a valid point sometimes, which annoys Iwaizumi to no end.

As he lays on his bed later that night, pondering over what Hanamaki said, what transpired in the darkness of Oikawa’s room before that, and even what had happened since he acceded to Oikawa’s request to fake-date each other, Iwaizumi supposes he already harboured feelings for him earlier than he thought. He didn’t know exactly when, but he definitely knows it started out as a physical attraction that developed an emotional attachment.

Soon enough, Oikawa occupied his thoughts more often than what he’d consider normal for a friendship and he stopped taking too long to reply his text messages, stopped thinking twice about accepting his invitations to hang out. Soon enough, he began to welcome the casual touches and unintentional brush of skin against skin, began to look forward to the next time he could see him.

And yet here he was, thinking about Oikawa and daydreaming about things that have happened and things that could be. There were numerous opportunities to tell Oikawa he likes him, but he let them slip, choosing to remain in this limbo because what—it was safer? Easier?

It truly was very un-Iwaizumi of him.

He’s certain he likes Oikawa, and he’s pretty sure Oikawa likes him back too. He wants to have a reason to tell him he’s the prettiest boy he’s ever seen, to hold his hand, to kiss him maybe—likely—definitely. It’s clear what he needs to do. There’s no escaping something he feels this strongly about. So he resolves to erase the ambiguity of their relationship and because Iwaizumi Hajime never half-asses anything, he makes up his mind to give Oikawa a confession he wouldn’t want to decline.

* * *

Getting drunk on a Thursday night had not been a good idea. The next morning, Oikawa had to skip lecture because of the awful hangover but he rolled himself out of bed early enough to attend his tutorial class in the afternoon. He’d call that effort.

Perhaps a futile one, because he hadn’t been paying much attention to what the professor was saying, spending most of the time replaying what happened the night before. He remembers Iwaizumi picking him up at Nami-kun’s house, he remembers stumbling back home after a black episode and he will never forget how he had practically sent an open invitation for Iwaizumi to kiss him.

Iwaizumi had been so close at his bedside but for the life of him, Oikawa cannot hear past the fuzziness of the memory. Whatever words they exchanged, if they did at all, were lost in the night before. All he knows is that he had not gotten that kiss. And it is nothing short of disappointing.

He feels it more acutely when he only receives a painfully platonic text from Iwaizumi this morning asking him how’s his head and to pay him back for that expensive cab fare (although that was dropped after a bit of bemoaning on Oikawa’s part). There was nothing to hint of new developments in their relationship. His dejection was exacerbated when he discovered the aspirin and glass of water on his nightstand were left there by Kuroo and not Iwaizumi. When he badgered his housemate about whether anything out of the ordinary happened, he merely shrugged and told him Iwaizumi didn’t stay long. Talk about a dull morning.

Why hadn’t Iwaizumi kissed him? It was the perfect chance to. If it were Oikawa, he’d take the opportunity as soon as it presented itself. But that’s because he was head over heels for him. It left his gut wrenching to admit it, but it could simply be that Iwaizumi wasn’t into him as much as he was. That alone left him in a sour mood and he should have just stayed home today.

If he had just stayed home today, he wouldn’t have seen the very person who has been occupying his thoughts standing in the hallway of the administration building, a shorter, spunky-looking guy with dirty blonde hair reaching out a hand to pick something off the collar of his jacket. Oikawa was just passing by and it was pure coincidence that he would be in the same place as Iwaizumi, but it seemed like too much of a cruel coincidence to witness this private moment.

He should look away, but unsurprisingly he doesn’t, because how could he look away from the way Iwaizumi doesn’t flinch from the unexpected touch, from the way he smiles sheepishly at whoever this person was. Iwaizumi is never this bashful in front of him, Oikawa frowns. He was either brutally honest or thoroughly unimpressed. Oikawa thinks he’s seen enough when the blonde says something, and the grin on Iwaizumi’s face makes him hate the person who put it there.

The gloominess hangs over him until the evening, when he decides to return to Yokohama to stay with his parents. Home sounded like a good idea for the weekend. As usual, his mother welcomes him home with zest and he manages a forced smile when she asks why Hajime-kun didn’t come visit with him. Project work was the fail-safe answer.

He takes his time in the bath while his mother prepares a quick dinner, something simple since she also returned home from work not too long ago. It’s going to be the both of them only since his father was working late and Oikawa’s sister was not coming home this week. When he heads downstairs in his homey clothes, his trusty spare pair of glasses perched on his nose, the smell of home-cooked fried rice instantly perks him up.

Oikawa digs into his meal appreciatively, but he must not have been his usual talkative self because in the lull of their conversation, Natsumi asks, “Is there something wrong Tooru?”

It startles Oikawa when she picks it up so quickly but all mothers are like that after all. And because Natsumi was a no-nonsense type of woman, she didn’t hesitate to confront Oikawa about it. If there was something bothering her children, she wanted to know. Even if she couldn’t help, a listening ear always goes a long way.

“Nothing’s wrong,” Oikawa claims, looking up to meet his mother’s eyes for a fraction of a second before going back to his food.

Obviously, she doesn’t buy it. Whatever’s troubling him also scares him because he only ever wears his heart on his sleeve when he’s afraid.

“Is this about Hajime-kun?” she asks, spot-on. “Did something happen between the two of you? If it’s a fight, I’m sure you can solve it together.”

“We’re not together,” Oikawa says unthinkingly.

A pregnant pause.

“You’re not?”

Her tone has gone a few pitches higher and while Oikawa is more familiar with it when he’s getting into trouble, this time she just sounds bewildered. He’d be exposing the whole charade with Iwaizumi if he admits the truth, but was there any meaning in faking it anymore?

Sighing, Oikawa looks up and says—no lie this time—“We were never together.”

He could sense her bafflement from a mile away. His mother stares at him, demanding an explanation with wide, round eyes. Oikawa sighs again. It’s time to spill the beans.

“I just—” he stutters, breaking eye contact, but he determines to plow through this. “—wanted to avoid all the talk about why I’m still not in a relationship, when will I stop being so picky blah blah blah.”

Once he starts, he realizes it’s hard to stop.

“So I got Iwa-chan to pretend to date me and meet you guys so that I’ll finally get a break and at the same time, won’t have to commit myself in a relationship,” he confesses. The more he reveals the truth, the more he wants to hide his face from the embarrassment. He meets his mother’s gaze again, which has mellowed although she still sports a slight frown, and continues nervously, “Look, I know it was wrong to get some someone I barely knew to lie to you guys but I wasn’t really thinking and…”

Frankly, there’s nothing much left to say.

“I’m sorry,” he finishes quietly, relieved and guilty at the same time.

He doesn’t hear anything from his mother for a while, and Oikawa lowers his gaze to his forgotten meal, afraid that he’d see the disappointment in her eyes. But a slender hand comes into view from across the table and it settles on his closed fist, the touch infinitely gentle and devoid of anger.

Oikawa startles up and instead of the unhappy reaction he had expected, he is met with remorse.

“Oh Tooru,” his mother exhales. “ _I’m_ sorry I pressured you into thinking you had to settle down. I didn’t know you were so bothered about my pestering you to find someone. You’re my son, and I don’t ever want you to feel like you have to lie to me.”

Her apology comes as a surprise to him. He never expected her to feel bad about nagging at him. He chalked it up to it being something that parents did. But if she had given him more space…he wouldn’t have gone so far as to bring home a fake boyfriend for the new year’s. Regardless, there were definitely better ways to deal with the matter and it was meaningless to point fingers now.

Oikawa smiles. “I guess we both could have done better.”

“Yes…” Natsumi agrees ruefully. Leaning back against her chair, she squares her shoulders, glad that they communicated about this. Now, they could move on to the primary issue, which she could guess (with confidence) what it was about. “So what’s the problem now? You realize you have feelings for Hajime-kun?”

It pulls out a wry laughter from Oikawa, who manages to say, “It’s ironic isn’t it?”

He has picked up his spoon again, though it was to pick at his food meekly. Trust his mother to be perceptive enough to understand what was truly bothering him. She had been the one who wanted him to find himself a good relationship and he hadn’t wanted to. Now, he wants to be in a relationship with Iwaizumi and yet, he can’t. Oikawa thought he was playing the role of a fake boyfriend but it seems like he’s the one being played.

“Why don’t you tell him?”

If there’s one thing about Oikawa Natsumi, it’s that she solves her problems head-on.

“I don’t think—I don’t think he likes me back,” Oikawa says forlornly.

“What makes you say that?”

“A few things…” he trails off but shrugs away his hesitance and lists off the reasons for his guess.

“He talks to me like we’re just friends, he doesn’t try to flirt, and I’m usually the one who asks him out?” Oikawa tells her, not sure why he phrased the last part like a question. “And today, I saw him with someone else…”

His face goes pink when he says that. It sounds so juvenile, like something a jealous high schooler would say. He might share a close relationship with his mother, but it still felt weird to confide in her on such personal matters.

“Are you sure you’re not just seeing what you want to believe?” she asks thoughtfully.

“What do you mean?”

“You said you saw him with someone else right? I’m sure you didn’t like what you saw,” she elaborates and the way Oikawa bites his bottom lip tells her she is right. “Could that have influenced how you interpreted Hajime-kun’s behaviour towards you?”

Oikawa reflects on his mother’s words in silence and finds some truth in them. He thinks about the many instances Iwaizumi had actually agreed to his invitations to spend time together, whether it was to study or run errands with him. And Oikawa wasn’t _always_ the one who asked the other out. Iwaizumi has initiated hang-outs before. Iwaizumi replies to his texts, no matter how trivial they were. And Iwaizumi doesn’t flinch away from his touches. Surely he read those correctly? Then again, he couldn’t explain the rejected kiss nor what he witnessed this afternoon. When he considers these, it was easy to conclude that he might be clinging on to something that isn’t there, especially when the genesis of their friendship had been based on a lie.

Despite how astute Oikawa can be, he also has moments where his tunnel vision gives him the impression that that’s all there is. Throw in his own brand of obstinacy and it’s a recipe for inadequately drawn conclusions and poorly made decisions.

“Tooru, you should talk to him,” his mother advises. “I’d imagine things are a little grey between you two now.”

Oikawa draws his eyebrows together fretfully. “What if he doesn’t like me back?”

“Then at least you _know_ ,” Natsumi says reassuringly. “If Hajime-kun leaves the matter as it is as well, the both of you are just going to dance around the issue and I don’t think either of you deserve that.”

He can’t argue with that because he knows she has a point and that it’s the mature thing to do. Even so, Oikawa doubts if it’s the better course of action because leaving it as it is and not knowing allow him the flexibility of believing what suits him best.

It’s like Schrodinger’s cat. If he doesn’t open the box, Iwaizumi both likes him and doesn’t like him. And that’s something he considers far better than being dealt the card where Iwaizumi doesn’t like him. Without that certainty, it lets him deny the possibility that Iwaizumi might not return his feelings which would hurt more than he could handle because Iwaizumi is the first person to make him feel like he could be himself unashamedly. Without that certainty, it lets him pretend reality is what he wants it to be.

He’s well aware of how selfish it is, and he’s well aware of how selfish he can get.

“And for goodness sake,” Natsumi continues chidingly. “Tell him he doesn’t have to pretend for the Oikawa family anymore.”

“Okay…” Oikawa murmurs to appease her, still pondering over her previous words.

“It’s no wonder he was rather awkward during new year’s. I thought that’s just him. Though I have to admit, the whole thing was very authentic.”

That puts a guilty grin on Oikawa’s face. “If you had said this earlier, I would have taken the compliment.”

“It’s not a compliment.”

His grin turns sheepish. “Oops.”

Letting him off, Natsumi eyes her son curiously. “So how did you two really meet then?”

“There was a flyer advertising him as a fake boyfriend to bring home for the new year’s,” Oikawa answers, straight-faced. The cat was let out of the bag and had been running for a few miles now. No reason not to lay it all out.

“My my, what are kids up to these days?”

“Oh it was a prank his friends pulled on him.”

“I see,” she says sympathetically, finding the whole situation rather bizarre but charmed that it was a prank that made her son fall in love when nothing and no one seemed to do it for him. Natsumi watches Oikawa as he goes back to his dinner and adds affectionately, “We really find love in the most unexpected places don’t we?”

Oikawa swallows his food. An image of Iwa-chan flashes across his mind, and he remarks poignantly, “I suppose we do.”

He suddenly remembers the time they went grocery-shopping, and Iwaizumi throws in a packet of milk bread into their cart without even asking Oikawa if he wanted it because he already knew he did. It had been a blissful moment for him, and even now, it makes his heart skip a beat.

This is not fake anymore, not by a long shot. This is as real as it can get.

“I’ll be in Tokyo next week for work,” Oikawa’s mother smiles and he recognizes it as her trying to cheer him up. “Let’s meet for dinner?”

“Sure mum,” he smiles back, although it doesn’t quite reach his eyes.

In the end, Oikawa decides to keep the status quo because of his warped reasons—because even though the cat was out of the bag, he’d like to keep it in a closed box—and because if they continued pretending, maybe eventually they won’t have to.

* * *

Iwaizumi’s having a hard time choosing between the chicken sandwich or the ham and cheese sandwich. It’s going to be his breakfast tomorrow and on any other day, he’d opt for the pastries from the bakery near his apartment or a home-made breakfast, but he didn’t have time for both. So convenience store food it is.

He picks the ham and cheese sandwich without further thought and goes to pay. The cashier is probably giving him a weird look for his general cheery vibe, courteous smiles and too-upbeat ‘thank yous’ and all. It’s well into the night after all, and usually it’s weary salarymen and listless university students who patronize the convenience store.

Iwaizumi’s too ecstatic to care though. He’s prepared a plan to finally tell Oikawa how he feels and it’s been quite a while since he felt this excited about something. It’s nothing elaborate—they’d hike up a relatively easy trail to the middle base where an upscale restaurant sits and after filling their stomachs with fresh sashimi and juicy beef, they’d watch the fireworks show from the look-out and Iwaizumi would take the opportunity to tell Oikawa that he likes him too much to continue with this limbo of a relationship.

He had even enlisted the help of a spunky-looking friend in his faculty, whose family owned the restaurant. After Iwaizumi unsuccessfully tried to make a reservation for next weekend because the place is typically booked weeks before, he asked this favour from his friend, who promised to reserve one of the best seats for him, complete with spectacular views of the city lights below.

When Iwaizumi asked about the fireworks show that was scheduled at certain days of the month, his friend made sure to arrange it that day, after being told bashfully that Iwaizumi had plans for a confession (how thoughtful, considering the ways people got together on a whim these days).

So yes, everything seemed to be progressing smoothly. He had already asked Oikawa out for next weekend, after a bit of cajoling to persuade him to go hiking together. Of course, he left out the part about the restaurant and fireworks. He still wanted it to be a surprise.

Iwaizumi makes his way to the train station, passing by a row of office buildings and hotels, and wonders if there’s anything he could have missed. He would tell Hanamaki and Matsukawa since (as much as he didn’t want to admit it) they were the enablers, but knowing them, it’s for the better if he doesn’t. He’ll just tell them after, when—

“Hajime-kun?”

Iwaizumi whirls around at the sound of his name. No one calls him that except—

“Oikawa-san…”

His mind goes blank for a second. As she steps towards him, clad in business attire and hair tied in her trademark low ponytail, Iwaizumi’s first coherent thought was why he would meet her in Tokyo.

“What a coincidence!” she smiles amiably and Iwaizumi fumbles to get himself into his persona.

“I just got off work nearby,” he tells her, putting on a neutral expression. “Oikawa didn’t mention that you were going to be in Tokyo.”

He thinks it’s safe enough to say that, since it is the truth, but he’s so hung up about what he can or cannot say, that he doesn’t realize he called Oikawa by his family name.

It creates assumptions because Natsumi picks it up.

“I’m only here for a few days for business,” she answers, looking at him kindly. “In fact, I’m going back tomorrow morning.”

“Oh I see.”

He shuffles his feet, for lack of anything else to say. Meeting her here caught him off guard and he’s not sure how to act. He has to remember that she’s under the impression they’re together, but it’s weird for him because he actually has plans to make that a reality. Natsumi misconstrues his awkwardness as a result of the fact that she knows the truth behind their relationship, unaware of his intention to confess, and attempts to lighten the mood.

“You look well Hajime-kun,” she comments and means it. On a night when people’s faces are typically cast with shadows of the day’s weariness, she finds a glow in Iwaizumi’s.

“I’m doing okay,” the student says, comforted by the genuineness of Natsumi’s words. “Schoolwork has picked up and things are a little busy at the centre, but I manage. Oikawa on the other hand…sometimes it’s like he lives and breathes astronomy that I have to remind him to take a break. He did say he was aiming for JAXA, but it’s nothing to lose sleep or your social life over I think.”

Unknowingly, he had turned his attention to Oikawa but it’s not like he can help it, since the brown-eyed beauty was all he could think about these days. It works in his favour anyway, since it makes it seem like he was keeping up the act.

Natsumi seems pleased that despite the truth about their relationship being revealed, Iwaizumi still seems to care for Oikawa, and that proved her hypothesis about the reciprocity of their emotions correct, which would then prove Oikawa wrong—and that’s a good thing.

“I’m glad someone like you is still looking out for Tooru.”

“Hm?” Iwaizumi makes a small sound of bemusement and tilts his head to his side. _‘Still?’_ He had no idea his morsel of confusion would open a can of worms.

“After he told me about the fake relationship, I was surprised not only because the whole thing was an act, but because you’re still friends,” Natsumi supplies. She decides to omit the part about her son liking Iwaizumi as she believes it’s not in her place to say it, even if Oikawa had already told him about spilling the beans to her.

She didn’t expect the shocked expression from Iwaizumi, who looks like he has been told some terrible news. After all, he had known that she was aware of their arrangement, so she could only imagine his astonishment stemmed from a sense of embarrassment and shame at being found out. She hastens to remedy the situation, hoping to ease the troubled crease in his eyebrows and the consternation in his dark green eyes.

“I’m not mad!” she assures him, but that didn’t help in allaying the shock written across his face. Little did she know that it had nothing to do with the fact that she knows, but with the realization that Oikawa had not told him anything about it. Unaware of the turmoil it had created in Iwaizumi, she continues obliviously, “It’s not very nice to deceive people like that, but I did have my shortcomings too, pressuring Tooru and all…Hajime-kun?”

She senses that something is off in Iwaizumi’s silence and gazes up at him in concern, wondering if there’s more to his reaction that she’s missing. But Iwaizumi suddenly looks at her with apologetic eyes, replacing his look of horror in a flash.

“I’m sorry,” he murmurs and although he can’t ignore the indignity for being kept in the dark, he truly was contrite for lying to her, especially when he had known her to be such an understanding person.

“Like I said, I’m not mad,” she reassures gently, feeling a sense of endearment for the boy. “As a matter of fact, I should thank you. And if it’s not too much to ask, please continue to look out for my son.”

Iwaizumi can’t bring himself to look her in the eye as he says—emptily—“Yeah…”

He never could have anticipated that his good mood would have gone to shit in a span of a few minutes and as he commutes home after bidding Oikawa’s mother farewell at the taxi stand, Iwaizumi cannot shake off the mess of emotions gnawing at his insides. It was anger and betrayal and confusion all mixed together but at the very heart of it all, Iwaizumi was just…hurt.

He couldn’t understand why Oikawa chose not to tell him this and his first thought was because he could use it as a convenient excuse to act like they were together whenever it tickled his fancy—so he could pull up his number and say _“hey, let’s be fake boyfriends because why the hell not, it’s easy, it’s brainless, it’s fun.”_ This was all just a game to him, wasn’t it? Iwaizumi would call a spade a spade—the whole act had just been a game.

And it’s a bitter pill to swallow because it was serious for him. Even if he discounted the feelings that he had developed, the friendship itself had been important to him. And for Oikawa to treat it so trivially…Iwaizumi feels like the joke had been on him this whole time and he had realized it in the worst possible way.

They might have put up a convincing performance in front of Oikawa’s family and their friends, but Iwaizumi thought he would have been granted some form of immunity from the deception and that Oikawa would at least be upfront with him. He feels so foolish now, for naively thinking that he was an exception. Besides the hurt he felt, Iwaizumi was angry at himself for being so gullible. To think that he even put serious thought into telling him how he truly felt.

It was so _stupid_. Their whole friendship was built on a lie, what makes him think a relationship could be nurtured from there?

* * *

“Hey Iwa-chan,” Oikawa calls out in his sing-song voice, mood lifted the moment he caught sight of Iwaizumi’s back. “Did you wait long?”

“No,” he answers levelly. He let himself calm down over the night and refrained from texting Oikawa lest he commits something reckless (it’s never a good idea to confront such matters over text anyway) but the problematic emotions still churn in the pit of his stomach. His voice is strained from holding back the need for answers but Oikawa doesn’t pick up on it for he continues to ramble on ignorantly.

“Do you have any tests to cram for?” he asks as he walks in pace with Iwaizumi. Where they’re headed, Iwaizumi’s not too sure. This was supposed to be their weekly study date but that’s nowhere on his mind right now. “If you don’t, can you accompany me to the bookstore today? I want to get a couple of reference books before I start on my assignment.”

Iwaizumi doesn’t bother answering because Oikawa’s leading them out of the school premises anyway. The astronomy student is too engrossed with making suggestions on what they could do for the day to notice Iwaizumi’s uncharacteristically reticent countenance. He’s waiting for Oikawa to broach the subject—on the off chance that Oikawa had every intention to tell him the truth but needed some time—but he’s beginning to think he’s waiting in vain.

“Maybe we can go out for ramen later? Oikawa proposes, tapping a finger to his lips. “Refreshing-kun told me of a new place near campus.”

Iwaizumi thinks he’s given Oikawa enough chances. And his patience is wearing thin.

“Oikawa,” he interrupts. He’s annoyed that Oikawa’s acting like nothing’s wrong when he knows he’s hiding something from Iwaizumi but he makes sure to speak to him collectedly, not crossly—not yet. Iwaizumi looks Oikawa in the eye when he asks, “Why didn’t you tell me your mum knew about us?”

It’s almost comical, how the colour drains from Oikawa’s face the way Iwaizumi’s heart drops to his stomach.

“What?” he breathes out, stopping dead in his tracks. He’s sure he’s misheard—he has to.

While Oikawa’s desperately hoping that there’s been some harmless miscommunication, the anxiety filling his caramel eyes is all the answer that Iwaizumi needs.

“I bumped into her last night,” Iwaizumi says, frown deepening at how Oikawa’s eyes grow wider. “She said you told her about our fake relationship. Why didn’t you tell me?”

When Oikawa finally finds his tongue, he asks apprehensively instead of answering the question, “She told you that? Did she—did she say anything else?”

He’s so afraid that she had told him about how he felt towards him, because if she did and this was Iwaizumi’s reaction, then it means it has been wishful thinking on his part—that the grey space between ‘like’ and ‘do not like’ has been painted black and white.

“No. She wasn’t even angry. It’s like you already explained everything to her properly,” Iwaizumi replies, still not getting the answers he’s seeking. “How long has she known?”

“A week…” Oikawa murmurs, relieved that the box isn’t opened yet.

He doesn’t have the luxury of being comforted with this small victory as Iwaizumi demands, “Did you plan on telling me at all?”

“Of course I did!” he answers frantically, evident to Iwaizumi that he’s only telling him what he wants to hear. Iwaizumi isn’t going to have this conversation just to be fed with more lies.

“When? When the time is right, whenever that is? When it was convenient for you?”

It comes out in an accusatory tone but Iwaizumi’s finding it hard to hold back. He’s been trying to keep his cool, but a whole night of ruminating had not done much to assuage his troubles nor did the fact that he’s still not getting answers since he confronted Oikawa. And the longer Oikawa withholds the truth, averting his gaze with guilty eyes, the more irritated Iwaizumi gets at his inability to answer.

“Oikawa, I was under the impression that she still thought we were dating for real and I played the part. Can you imagine how stupid I felt when she said she already knew?”

That forces Oikawa to meet his eyes, but his voice dies in his throat when he sees the controlled anger behind the green irises—sharp and unforgiving. After all, Iwaizumi hated the fact that he had still been playing along when there was no longer an audience.

“I’m sorry Iwa-chan…”

“I don’t want your apologies,” he clicks his tongue tetchily. “I want to know why you did what you did.”

Oikawa darts around for an answer but he’s simply stalling for time.

“I just wanted things to stay the same,” he tells him fretfully. “If I told you, I was afraid you’d leave.”

Iwaizumi makes a sound of disgust. He was right—Oikawa just wanted his company for his own selfish reasons. It amplified again how much effort he poured into this for someone to play with it—and that makes his blood boil.

“And so you strung me along your little charade?! So you could call me up whenever you felt like it?!”

“No—!” Oikawa exclaims, afflicted.

“Is this all just a game to you?!”

“It’s not that!”

He wants so much to be able to say how he feels, but he doesn’t know how to put them into words that Iwaizumi can accept.

“Then what is it?! ‘Cause it sure as hell feels like you were using me for your own entertainment!”

“I just wanted you to like me!”

“I already do!!”

Even without the pretence, he had already fallen in love with him. Even without the theatrics, he had fallen for the insufferable, dorky, endearing space nerd. And it didn’t take much.

“But it doesn’t change the fact that you’re a selfish—manipulative—liar,” he snarls.

* * *

Sugawara doesn’t usually spend his Saturdays at home browsing through YouTube videos, but Daichi had to chaperone his little brother and sister today. His housemates are also not in; Kuroo was helping Kenma with character poses for his new project and Bokuto was probably on a date with Akaashi. So that leaves Oikawa, who’s currently sprawled lifelessly on the couch as he stares at the TV, looking like he’s had better days.

He doesn’t even notice Sugawara walking across their living room to the kitchen to make himself a sandwich. The ash-haired student studies Oikawa for a while, growing curious over his gloomy disposition.

“I didn’t know you could understand English that well,” Sugawara says out of the blue.

Oikawa jumps, turning to the owner of the voice only to face the TV again, realizing that he’s been staring idly at a documentary about European castles for the past half an hour, the whole thing conducted in English without any subtitles.

Sulking, Oikawa snatches the remote to flip the channel to a random travel programme, though it’s not like he’s registering what was airing as well.

“What’s wrong?” Sugawara takes the initiative to ask. There was clearly something bothering him and since he’s a good housemate, he’ll see if he can help. When Oikawa pulls his lip between his teeth in lieu of an answer, Sugawara guesses, “Does it have something to do with Iwaizumi?”

Oikawa inhales sharply, glancing at Sugawara from behind his half-rimmed glasses. His wry expression tells him that he’s hit the nail on the head and that he shouldn’t even need to ask if it was that obvious.

“Daichi told me that Iwaizumi said you two are not on speaking terms?” Sugawara asks, testing the waters and hoping he won’t set off a bomb.

Oikawa huffs. “Did he also tell you it was all a sham?”

“What?”

The bespectacled student faces Sugawara and blurts, “Us dating. It was all fake. The whole relationship—we made it up so my mum would stop pestering me about finding someone and so I won’t actually have to find someone.”

The way Sugawara blinks at him in surprise tells him as much. “He…didn’t say anything about that.”

Oikawa scoffs, disregarding the fact that he had thoughtlessly divulged the truth to Sugawara even if Iwaizumi hadn’t said a word to Sawamura. Who still cares at this point anyway?

It’s been a week since their falling out and Iwaizumi had not contacted him at all. He texted him, but his messages were left on read and he didn’t want to start a thread over the phone. He had waited for him outside his lecture halls for a chance to talk it out but either he could never catch him or if he spotted him in the crowd, he got cold feet and turned the other way. He’s not proud of that.

It’s been a week and Oikawa’s starting to think that all hope is lost. Iwa-chan never wants to have anything to do with him anymore. That thought has been stewing in his mind for the past few days and the more he dwelled on it, the more dejected he feels, and that manifested itself in the form of wasted time in front of the TV.

“I’m listening if you feel like talking,” Sugawara offers, leaning against the kitchen counter.

Being alone in his misery had been awful, and a listening ear sounds like a good idea.

“That day when Iwa-chan and I met you and Sawamura at the shrine, we were fake-dating,” he begins, pulling his legs up on the couch. “We weren’t supposed to take up your offer on the hot springs stay, but my sister was there. And because of various circumstances…we continued pretending.”

He fiddles with the drawstrings on his sweatpants. “Until I wasn’t pretending anymore. I really like him. And I came clean to my mum—I didn’t plan on it, it just happened. But I didn’t tell him.”

Sugawara hides a wince, knowing this is the part where it went downhill.

“Who knew they’d meet each other on the street and Iwa-chan found out _from her_ that she already knew,” Oikawa says and his voice goes quiet with the sense of guilt that never really left, “He got really mad.”

It seemed to Sugawara that all of that could have been avoided if Oikawa had also been upfront with Iwaizumi.

“Why didn’t you tell him?”

“Because—” he stutters, cheeks flaming from his embarrassment and stupidity as he meets Sugawara’s sympathetic gaze. He’s never told another soul about this, and Sugawara has to strain his ears to catch his words. “Because I thought if it stopped being fake for me, it would too for him. Eventually.”

It was never about exploiting Iwaizumi to _play_ , it was about prolonging what they had so that it could be something more. It was about having an excuse to pretend that they were together, because Oikawa thought that if they pretended long enough, Iwaizumi would like him. If they pretended long enough…maybe it could become a reality. But now that reality has turned into a farfetched dream and Oikawa is endlessly frustrated at being the architect of his own downfall.

“Did you explain it to him?”

“I said I just wanted him to like me,” Oikawa says under his breath, casting his eyes downward.

“And what did he say to that?” Sugawara probes. Iwaizumi’s answer could change this predicament into an opportunity, but he holds his breath because the fact that Oikawa had dark clouds hanging over his head the whole week implied that something went wrong.

“He said he already does,”—but before Sugawara can delight in that—“then he told me that I’m a selfish, manipulative liar.”

Sugawara’s shoulders deflate, understanding why Oikawa had been so woeful the past week now. Knowing Oikawa since middle school had taught him a lot about the astronomy student and frankly, he can see why Iwaizumi said that of him. It was harsh, and it only reflected the ugly side of Oikawa, but there was some truth in it.

He sees how desolate Oikawa looks, from the way his perfectly-coiffed hair has lost its usual spring to how he’s wallowing in self-pity, mindlessly watching programmes he doesn’t even appreciate and decides that what his housemate needs right now is not to be preached at, but some clarity out of his insecurities.

“Oikawa, it’s not my place to tell you what’s right or wrong. You’re an adult and you’re dealing with the consequences right now,” Sugawara tells him gently but firmly. “But apart from that, tell Iwaizumi how you feel—not that you’re sorry or guilty because I’m sure he already knows that, but what you want out of this. It’s only fair that you give him a clear answer after all the uncertainty and unsaid words you two went through. So tell him.”

Oikawa looks at him with wrinkles in his forehead and apprehension in his caramel eyes.

“Even after what happened?”

“Especially after what happened,” Sugawara insists. “You two thrashed things out that day, so it’s time to make it right isn’t it? I see this as a chance to start on a clean slate.”

When he’s met with silence, Oikawa brooding like there’s something stopping him from making a move when experience has shown him that it will not work in his favour, Sugawara knows he needs a little push in the right direction.

“What are you still hesitating about? You’re rarely this indecisive.”

“I know…” he sighs heavily and throws his head over the back of the couch. “What am I doing?”

“I was hoping you could tell me.”

Oikawa stares up at the ceiling, mulling over Sugawara’s words. It’s simple actually, what he wants out of this.

“I want to hold his hand because I can,” he says eventually, looking back down at their herringbone patterned floor. “I want to do what lovers do without needing an excuse. I want to date him for real.”

Sugawara smiles, “Now’s as good a time as any.”

“Right now?” Oikawa asks with wide eyes, sitting upright and inhaling sharply. It’s such an impulsive thing to do, he doesn’t even know what to expect if he does look Iwaizumi up out of the blue. Then again, wasn’t he more impulsive and hadn’t it been more unexpected when he called him up that day, asking him to be his fake boyfriend based on a flyer he saw?

“Wait...what day is it? It’s Saturday isn’t it!” Oikawa bursts out, scrambling up from the couch to stumble his way to his room. It’s the day he agreed to go hiking together and he’s not 100% sure Iwaizumi would go ahead without him but he hikes regularly by himself anyway so he’s going to take a chance.

“Refreshing-kun, I think I know where Iwa-chan will be!” he shouts to an amused Sugawara. “Don’t wait up for me for dinner!”

* * *

Iwaizumi doesn’t hike as much during the winter since it’s cold but he needed to let off some steam and hiking has always been an activity where he could destress. So maybe he’s a masochist for insisting on hiking this mountain despite not being able to accomplish what he set out to do here because of what went down between him and Oikawa, but he’s never hiked this one before and even if there won’t be a confession or fireworks, at least he gets to destress.

He’s had a lot of time to think about what happened. Oikawa really pulled a dirty move by keeping things from him. He had been rather callous with his words that day, but he wouldn’t take it back. Oikawa needed to know that what he did was wrong and how much it had hurt. Iwaizumi isn’t angry with him anymore, he rarely stays mad for long periods of time after all. And when all is said and done, he still likes Oikawa.

Though he wished that he had tried harder to talk to him and not just drop off the face of the earth after a few texts. Iwaizumi could be the better man and approach him first but the sound of heavy footsteps imminently advancing from behind him interrupts his train of thoughts.

Speak of the devil and he shall appear, for the person occupying his thoughts come into view, huffing and panting and lumbering towards him like it expended all his energy to hike a mere quarter of the trail.

“Oikawa? What are you—” Iwaizumi blurts, startled to see him here. “Did you climb all the way up here?”

“Yes—I can’t feel my legs anymore—” Oikawa wheezes, glasses slipping down his nose (he hadn’t bothered putting on his contacts). “—Let me catch my breath first.”

Taking pity on the way his chest rises and falls with every difficult breath, palms pressed against his knees as he recuperates, Iwaizumi walks over to hand him his bottle of water.

“Here.”

“Thanks,” he says and takes several generous gulps of water. Iwaizumi watches as his Adam’s apple bobs and before he has a chance to react to whatever’s happening, Oikawa pulls the bottle away from his lips, pushing his glasses up the bridge of his nose and pins him with a determined glare. “I need to talk to you. I’m done running.”

Iwaizumi has a few things he wants to convey to him as well but Oikawa rattles on, “You were right. I am a selfish, manipulative liar. And I did what I did because I thought that if we could keep pretending, maybe you would like me like how I fell for you. And I’m sorry for that. But I’m not sorry for liking you.”

A second of silence passes, then two, then three and all Iwaizumi could do was blink at him speechlessly. That’s a screwed up way to hope that someone would like you. He also couldn’t believe Oikawa agreed with his critique of his character right off the bat. Most of all though, he’s surprised Oikawa confessed that he likes him.

Previously, he sensed that the feelings were mutual, but after discovering that Oikawa had revealed the truth to his mother without telling him and reckoning that Oikawa was probably playing with him the whole time, Iwaizumi had doubts.

Guess this leaves no room for uncertainties.

“Why didn’t you just tell me that?” Iwaizumi sighs. Imagine how straightforward this could be if they had just _talked_.

“You know how it is…” Oikawa trails off, shifting on his feet uncomfortably. “I’ve never been good at making people stay. But I wanted so badly for _you_ to stay. I want to know more about you. I want to know what your childhood was like. I want to know if you toast your bread for breakfast in the mornings. I want to know where you got that scar on your arm from. And what we had worked for us, I thought if it stayed that way…”

“You’re an idiot,” Iwaizumi scolds, fighting off the blush that has coloured his cheeks. “Why would you be okay with just that?”

“Because I’m an idiot?”

Another sigh escapes his lips. He runs a hand through his hair and locks eyes with Oikawa.

“I already told you I like you,” Iwaizumi says, catching the glimmer of joy and involuntary pull of Oikawa’s lips. “Don’t get ahead of yourself. I get where you’re coming from but it doesn’t give you a reason to do what you did.”

“I know…”

“No more lying,” Iwaizumi states firmly. “Or keeping things from me.”

“I got it. No more of that. I promise.”

He wears an earnest expression and Iwaizumi studies him carefully. Oikawa doesn’t falter under Iwaizumi’s intense gaze and because the dark-haired student does have a soft spot for him and truly does want to date him, he gives this a shot.

“Now that we got that out of the way…” he begins, regarding Oikawa with a hint of shyness. “It wasn’t supposed to happen like this but, do you want to date? For real this time.”

“Yes!” Oikawa’s glasses shake slightly with his vigorous nods. He frowns immediately after, wondering, “What do you mean it’s not supposed to happen like this?”

“I was supposed to take you to the restaurant at the middle station,” Iwaizumi explains, heat travelling to his neck. “I got a friend whose family owns the place and he helped to get us the city view. I also got him to arrange fireworks since they do that on selected days of the month and I was planning on…confessing then.”

As he listened, Oikawa’s face grows increasingly distressed in an animated way. He can’t believe he would miss that!

“Let’s go now!” he exclaims and gestures to his outfit that was neither made for hiking nor long periods in the winter. “I’m dressed like this, but we can still go!”

“I cancelled it.”

“Oh.”

“It’s fine,” Iwaizumi tells him lightly. “We can have our first real date another time.”

“Okay,” he smiles, mood instantly lifted at the prospect of having many more dates with Iwaizumi. He’s getting dizzy with exhilaration just thinking about it. He could finally do all the things he said he wanted to do with him. He could finally do what lovers do.

It makes him remember his elusive kiss, the very kiss that was part of the package. They’re standing in the cold a quarter-way to the mountain peak, surrounded by nature and no one, and Oikawa chooses to go for it.

“I think you still owe me a kiss,” he says cheekily.

“Are you really in a position to make demands right now?” Iwaizumi retorts, eyebrow arching.

Oikawa shrugs, taking it in his stride. “At least I tried.”

Iwaizumi rolls his eyes, reaches out his hands to grab the lapels of Oikawa’s jacket, and tugs him forward, inciting a startled squeak from him.

“Just so we’re clear,” he says in a low voice, green eyes boring into brown ones, “this isn’t part of the package. The package is hereby voided.”

He closes the small space between them by sealing their lips, Iwaizumi still clutching onto Oikawa’s jacket to keep him in place as much as to ground himself. Their lips are dry from the chill and Oikawa’s mouth is soft underneath Iwaizumi’s. It’s not the best kiss they’ve had—it’s a little clumsy, hesitant, and too static—but it’s not unpleasant. When Iwaizumi breaks the kiss, his tongue peeks out to wet his lips, as does Oikawa’s. There a faint pinkness across his cheeks and Iwaizumi is positive his are the same.

As they stand in the cold a quarter-way to the mountain peak, having just had their first kiss with each other and hearts racing from the thrill of it, Iwaizumi thinks that Hanamaki’s and Matsukawa’s prank wasn’t all that bad. It wasn’t all that bad at all.

* * *

“Relax, Iwa-chan,” Oikawa assures, leading them down a row of houses in the streets of Yokohama, a recurrence of the day they put up an act for their first audience. “It’s not like you’ve never met my family before.”

It’s easy for him to say that, since he had explained the situation to his family. But this would be Iwaizumi’s first time meeting them after their fake relationship was revealed and he’s already expecting a whole lot of embarrassment and awkwardness. Not to mention now that he’s actually Oikawa’s boyfriend, he wanted to give his family a good impression but was that possible now that they knew how they had made light of the significance of a relationship? Oh, the stress.

“It’s different now,” Iwaizumi simply argues, not articulate enough to expound on the cause of his trepidation.

Oikawa is considerably calmer about the entire matter. “They liked you when we were fake-dating, they’ll like you more now that we’re real-dating. Trust me.”

“Are you sure they’re fine with it?” Iwaizumi asks cautiously.

“Yes, I am,” Oikawa promises, enunciating each word carefully. “My sister was laughing at me the whole time I was telling her the story. She said she knew I couldn’t have made you date my nerdy ass. But joke’s on her, I did manage to snag you after all.”

“Am I a prize…?”

Laughing, Oikawa says fondly, “You’ll be fine.”

He takes Iwaizumi’s hand in his, which is chilly from the wintry weather, and laces their fingers together. Oikawa brings it to his lips and presses a light kiss to his knuckles, smiling through the gesture. It helps ease the nervousness a little bit, having Oikawa’s support, and Iwaizumi tightens his hold on Oikawa’s hand appreciatively.

When they finally reach the Oikawa residence and are taking their shoes off in the entranceway, it arrests Iwaizumi’s heart to hear a familiar voice call out, “Tooru?”

Oikawa’s mother, looking as radiant as ever, appears in the hallway with a mild-mannered expression, the corners of her mouth pulled up in a tiny smile when she sees her son and Iwaizumi.

“Hi mum,” Oikawa greets and makes a proper introduction this time, “I want you to meet my boyfriend, Iwaizumi Hajime.”

“Hi,” Iwaizumi manages, for lack of anything better to say.

Natsumi regards him with a knowing smile.

“Well don’t be a stranger. Come on in.”

Iwaizumi steps into the house—nervous for a whole different reason from the first time—to meet the rest of Tooru’s family as his boyfriend. For real this time.

**The End**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this was, definitely, the hardest chapter to write. pro tip: to keep your characters in character, it's super important to always remember what their motivations are. because this will influence their actions and state of mind. hopefully, my characterizations are believable.
> 
> oh and that friend that iwa got to make those arrangements for the confession? it's the same guy that oikawa spots iwa with the day after he was drunk (i.e. before he visits his mum). thought it was good to know but i couldn't find an appropriate chance to mention this in the story.
> 
> it's the end but there'll be an epilogue! thanks for sticking around, kudos/comments are always welcome~


	5. epilogue

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I was disappointed with the severe lack of physical intimacy in this fic so I wrote this epilogue to satisfy my needs and I hope you enjoy it too!

Iwaizumi wakes up on his own, no alarm to call him from his slumber since it’s Saturday and Oikawa had stayed over. He liked sleeping in with Oikawa on an idle weekend. Speaking of which, his arms are Oikawa-less and that won’t do.

Turning on his side, his leg brushes against Oikawa’s under the sheets and he scoots closer, pressing his chest against his boyfriend’s back. He gets an armful of Oikawa by circling his waist, welcoming the warmth into his embrace. Oikawa shifts sleepily against Iwaizumi, slowly awakening.

The older of the two doesn’t pay heed that he’s disrupting his partner’s sleep, burying his nose into Oikawa’s neck to breathe him in. To be able to wake up like this—bodies close with nothing to rush for and last night’s memories still fresh in his mind—is the best. Iwaizumi mouths at Oikawa’s neck, sucking a light bruise on the skin there, while his hand sneaks under his shirt to caress his stomach. He might not be a fan of exercising, but he’s blessed with a naturally good body.

That stirs Oikawa awake, who turns to lay on his back, cracking his eyes open to stare at Iwaizumi dreamily.

“Hey,” Iwaizumi says affectionately, voice still low from sleep.

“Hey,” Oikawa greets, his neck tingling from Iwaizumi’s treatment. “Did you leave a mark?”

“No. I mean yes, but it’ll go away in a while.”

Oikawa regards him suspiciously but doesn’t pursue it, and rubs the vestiges of sleep from his eyes. Iwaizumi thinks he looks crazy stupid fine with his sleep-mussed hair, half-opened eyes and marks littering his body from last night’s activities. He presses their lips together in a close-mouthed kiss.

“Mm. What time is it?”

Peering over his shoulder to check, Iwaizumi answers, “It’s a bit after nine. We still have some time.”

They planned to visit the natural history museum today to help Iwaizumi on his assignment, which he took as part of an elective. By the time they’re ready, the morning would probably be gone, but it still leaves more than enough time for lunch, the museum visit and maybe even a movie.

Satisfied with the answer, Oikawa turns to burrow against Iwaizumi’s bare chest, getting into his full-on cuddle mode. The dark-haired student hadn’t worn a shirt after what they did and Oikawa has zero complaints. Iwaizumi’s a sporty person and he works out regularly, so it’s always a feast for Oikawa’s eyes when he’s shirtless (or better yet, undressed).

“Mmm,” he hums contentedly, before looking back up (almost butting Iwaizumi’s chin in the process) to ask, “Makki and Mattsun around?”

“Matsukawa isn’t home for the weekend and I think Hanamaki already went out on his date,” Iwaizumi replies, gathering Oikawa snugly in his arms.

That means they have the apartment to themselves. While Oikawa has taken a liking to the two of them (after insisting on being introduced to their ‘match-makers’), it’s nice to have the place to yourselves once in a while.

“Let’s get up soon,” he says, though he proceeds to nibble on the hard bone of Iwaizumi’s clavicle. “I’ll make you breakfast.”

“Stay in bed,” the other proposes. “We have time.”

Oikawa chuckles. “How rare. You can stay in if you want. I’ll get you when I’m done.”

Iwaizumi groans in protest and reluctantly releases Oikawa. Because the sports science student is the oldest, he was given the room with the adjoining bathroom, which proved to be advantageous when Oikawa started staying over on some days. He watches lazily as Oikawa pads to the bathroom in his thin cotton shirt that stops below the waistband of his boxers and rests against his pillow as he hears the water running.

When Oikawa finishes brushing his teeth and heads to the kitchen, intent on making something simple for breakfast, he certainly didn’t expect two individuals already there—the pink-haired one he recognises, but the other lady he doesn’t.

For a second, everyone is too surprised to say anything, with Oikawa having caught in his underwear by a wide-eyed lady he’s never met before, until Hanamaki breaks the silence.

“Uh—hi Oikawa.”

“Hi Makki,” he greets affably, like it doesn’t bother him that he’s in his underwear in someone else’s house looking as if he’s had an eventful night. He supposes the lady is Hanamaki’s girlfriend, given how close they’re standing next to each other and are in the middle of packing home-made food into bento boxes. He greets the lady courteously as well, noting that she’s still wearing a shocked expression, “Good morning, Makki’s girlfriend.”

“G-Good morning…” she replies, an inadvertent blush colouring her cheeks from witnessing such an attractive man in his boxers. An attractive man who she knows isn’t a permanent residence of this house.

“Uhh, this is—”

“Tooru, come back—” comes Iwaizumi’s languid voice, which halts the instant he realizes he’s stepped into an awkward moment, which is made more awkward since he had appeared without a shirt, revealing himself to be the other party in Oikawa’s eventful night. “Oh hey Hanamaki, Suzuya. I thought you went out already.”

“We’re almost done and leaving in a bit,” Hanamaki tells him. It’s a funny moment, but he can’t bring himself to laugh.

“Um, we won’t disturb you then,” Iwaizumi says quickly, noticing how speechless and redder Suzuya has gotten. He pulls Oikawa away by the wrist, “Come on.”

“Bye!” the brown-haired student bids blithely with a wave. “Have fun on your date!”

They’re not even out of earshot when Suzuya smacks Hanamaki on the arm and whispers fiercely, “Hiro!”

“Ow what!”

“You didn’t tell me Iwaizumi is gay! I’ve been trying to set him up with my friend!”

Iwaizumi picks up his pace, not keen on hearing the rest of that conversation. He knows Suzuya, so it’s a tad embarrassing to be caught like that. Dressed only in a shirt and sweatpants and calling your partner who’s in an equal state of undress can really put all sorts of images in people’s heads.

“What an interesting morning…” Oikawa remarks in amusement.

“Sorry, I didn’t know they haven’t left,” Iwaizumi sighs, dragging a hand down his face. “Anyway, that was Hanamaki’s girlfriend. I’ll introduce you next time.”

“I look forward to it,” Oikawa says with a cheeky smile. “I hope she won’t feel so awkward after finding out that her friend who she’s setting you up with didn’t stand a chance.”

That earns him a light bonk to his head. “Don’t get overboard.”

Oikawa rubs the spot with a pout, though it didn’t hurt at all. Iwaizumi flops himself on the bed, thinking about killing time with some cuddling but Oikawa has a better idea.

“Anyway, since we have time, I got something for you.”

“For me? What for?”

He watches curiously as Oikawa rummages through his bag to fish out a small wrapped package. Wondering if there’s a special occasion coming up, Iwaizumi searches his mind but comes up blank.

“No particular reason. I just wanted to get it for you,” Oikawa says, climbing onto the bed to sit across him. He hands the square package to Iwaizumi, who takes it with interest. “Here, open it.”

Iwaizumi locks eyes with him, an eyebrow raised quizzically, and proceeds to unwrap his unexpected present. The wrapping falls away to reveal a white cover and the face of a watch, but it wasn’t an analogue or digital watch, it was the latest model of the smart watch.

“Tooru,” Iwaizumi says under his breath, looking up at him in amazement.

“I was thinking since you exercise and go hiking regularly, it would be useful for you. It’s not as good as the ones specially made for outdoors, but I thought it’d do,” he shrugs and tries to gauge Iwaizumi’s expression, asking tentatively, “You like it?”

“Yes, I like it,” he tells him gratefully, a genuine smile on his lips. He wonders if Oikawa knew he had been contemplating on buying something like this for a while now. He must have saved like crazy for this. In that moment, Iwaizumi’s heart feels full. “Thank you.”

Oikawa beams and meets Iwaizumi’s lips halfway.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And it’s done!! Honestly, I have more fic ideas for iwaoi but with work and life in general, it’s really hard to find time to write. And the fandom is kinda quiet now don’t you think? Maybe it’ll be livelier when season 4 comes out? Anyway, I had fun with this and I hope you enjoyed it too. Hopefully you can come back to this fic when you need a feel-good story. Bye for now!


End file.
